Fire Station 4 Replacement: Site Selection

Announcement

Of the three sites under consideration, the County Council selected SITE A (the existing Fire Station 4 site, 4401 Diamond Drive) at the November 12th Council meeting as the new Fire Station 4 location.

Project typePhase 1, Site Selection (3 proposed sites)
Project valueTBD. ~$4 million has been received from the State of New Mexico over the years to replace Fire Station #4
Project scheduleSelect a site by November 12, 2024; Construct and occupy a new Fire Station in 2025
Contractor nameConsultant: VEGA Architecture
Completion DateNovember 12, 2024

A SITE WAS SELECTED IN NOVEMBER 2024. PLEASE VISIT THE FIRE STATION 4 REPLACEMENT: DESIGN PROJECT PAGE FOR ACTIVITY OCCURRING AS PART OF THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT.

Project purpose and scope

To evaluate three proposed sites on County-owned parcels as the location for the new replacement Fire Station 4. The County project team procured architectural services from VEGA Architects to assist in the site evaluation and schematic design.

Subsequent phase—Once a site is selected, VEGA Architects will work with the County project team in the design development, construction documents, bidding, and construction administration to replace Fire Station 4. The design will be tailored to the LAFD and maximize familiarity, efficiency, turnout speed, ease of use, and the health and wellbeing of the firefighters.

This project supports the following Council’s Strategic Goals

Primary Goal - Public Safety under Quality of Life. Secondary Goals - Operational Excellence: Effective, Efficient, Reliable Services, and Infrastructure Asset Management. Quality of Life: Health, Wellbeing, Open Space, and Parks. Environmental Stewardship: Natural Resource Protection, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, and Water Conservation.

Why do we need a new Fire Station #4

Why we need a new Fire Station #4?

The existing facility is dated.

1) Built in 1964, this facility was not designed for female firefighters (minimal privacy) or for the larger and much heavier fire apparatus used today. 2) Drainage problems have resulted in water intrusion into the basement area of the existing station. 3) There are no provisions in the building for keeping contaminates that firefighters are exposed to out of their living quarters which poses health issues.

New facility requirements.

The standards for new fire stations that are absent in the existing fire station must include: 1) Proper separation of the truck bay from living quarters. 2) Decontamination room to clean gear and equipment that becomes contaminated on emergency calls. 3) Male and female sleeping, showering, and restroom provisions. 4) Positive pressure HVAC systems in living areas to ensure separation from truck bays.

Fire Chief Troy Hughes presented the Fire Station #4 replacement project to the County Council on June 20, 2023. You can watch the presentation below:

Site Requirements

When selecting a potential site, the following criteria must be met:

Maintain response times.
Public land ownership.
Keeping the existing Fire Station #4 facility in full operation during construction.
Somewhat flat terrain.
Access to utilities infrastructure.
Design and cost feasibility.

Proposed sites for the new Fire Station #4

The three proposed sites that meet the required criteria for the new fire station are the following County-owned parcels:

1. Site A - Current Fire Station 4, 4401 Diamond (Institutional Zone District).

LIDAR Scans (or Virtual Tour):

DRONE footage:

2. Site B - Golf Course Maintenance Yard, entry 9999 San Ildefonso (Open Space - Active Open Space Zone District).

LIDAR Scans (or Virtual Tour):

DRONE footage:

3. Site C - 101 North Mesa (Open Space - Public Park Zone District).

LIDAR Scans (or Virtual Tour):

DRONE footage:

Map of all three sites

A topographic map depicting the three potential sites to replace Fire Station #4

Survey Responses and Email Comments

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey and share your preferences on the three sites under consideration. While the survey initially closed on Monday, Oct. 7, we've reopened it until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 30, 2024. The report below is from October 8. The new report will be posted on Oct. 31st.

Read the Oct. 8th Survey Report(PDF, 210KB)

We are also sharing emailed comments we've received about the project as of October 15, 2024.

Read the email comments(PDF, 317KB)

Public Meetings and Engagement Process

The County Project Team has prepared a Public Information/Involvement Plan(PDF, 256KB) to inform and solicit feedback on the three sites under consideration. Per the plan, three public meetings are scheduled to share project details, discuss the proposed sites and solicit public feedback before we take this item to the County Council on November 12th to officially select a site.