2017 Firehouse Station Design – Concord Township (Bronze Career)

Concord Township is located just north of Columbus, in southern Delaware County, one of the fastest growing counties in Ohio.  The Township is bisected by the Scioto River, with only 3 bridges connecting the east & west.  The Township acquired a site that is contiguous to the Township’s Campus. (The Township Hall, Road Department, and Park) The site is also adjacent to Home Road, which provides access across the river, on the most centrally located bridge.

Fire Station 341 offers the Department 17,454 square feet of modern usable space, including five drive-thru bays for fire, water rescue and EMS runs with ancillary spaces including a Turnout Gear Room, EMS Storage, Gear Laundry and a Decontamination Alcove that is conveniently located directly off the bays.

The living quarters can house up to 8 firefighters per shift, plus separate dorm space for the Duty Officer.  Key features of the station include a large physical fitness training room on the mezzanine, built-in training opportunities, (confined space rescue, ladder work, bailing exercises, etc.) a classroom training room, and a watch room which features windows to the Apparatus Bays and responding apparatus apron. A small triage office located off the main entry allows the Department to assess walk-in patients prior to transporting to a local hospital.  The Station is equipped with a state of the art alerting system and is serviced by a whole house generator.

The exterior of the Station was designed to reflect the aesthetics of the Township Hall and Road Departments Facilities, providing a cohesive brand for the Township. The overall design of each facility is a gesture to the large agricultural community that the Township services. The entry tower with large glazed openings was designed to showcase the Township’s 1894 historic hand-drawn firefighting equipment.

Additional Information

Concord Township purchased the 31.11 acres site from the State of Ohio Department of Correction in 2013. Under a separate contract, the Township demolished the existing girls’ detention facility (building only) and cleaned up contamination from asbestos and a fuel leak from the facilities generator.  Two and a half acres of the property were allocated to the station and the remainder tied into an adjacent park. The Station is located on what was once the prison’s parking lot and required extensive site demolition by our team to remove existing asphalt, utilities and unsuitable soils. Site demolition included an existing asbestos filled steam tunnel uncovered during excavation.

The Township, like most public clients, was working with a fixed budget but wanted to get the most for their money on bid day while managing future operating and maintenance costs. The design team conducted multiple rounds of life cycle cost analysis to review HVAC systems and LED vs. Traditional lighting, etc., to determine the most cost effective mix.

A Pre-Engineered Metal Building System was utilized and architecturally, the materials and finishes were selected that complement the overall Township campus and provide the Department with an attractive but relatively maintenance-free facility.