FleischmanGarciaMaslowski (FG+M) Architecture designed Sarasota Fire Rescue Station No. 3, St. Armands Key. This new, 9,280 sq. ft., LEED-Certified fire rescue station, a testament to the community’s commitment to sustainability, has replaced an existing, badly obsolete, 1955 vintage facility on North Adams Drive just off St. Armands Circle. With its single, open dorm area, the original station lacked privacy for an increasingly co-ed firefighter staff, was far from ADA compliance, did not meet hurricane wind force structural requirements, and was vastly “non-conforming” regarding FEMA flood resistance criteria. (The crown of North Adams Drive in front of the station is only 30 inches above mean sea level!)
The highly efficient, 5,120 sq. ft. building footprint of the new 2-½ story station was smaller than the original, single-story station, allowing it to fit the very tight, .26-acre site. The Key West style harmonized with the nearby St. Armands Circle commercial construction.
The base Flood Elevation at the site is 11.0 feet. The Apparatus Bays, Bunker Gear Storage, EMS Storage, Maintenance Storage, and Decon Storage are on the lowest level at an Elevation of 5.0 feet. FEMA louvers allow passive flooding, and all materials comply with FEMA flood-resistance requirements. The adjoining, unoccupied crawl space accommodates rescue boat storage and a sizeable 1,500-gallon cistern that provides stormwater detention to meet SWFWMD drainage requirements. The Office, Training, and Community Room are above the crawl space at an Elevation of 11.33 feet. The upper level includes the Kitchen, Day Room, 8 Bunks, and the Exercise Room. A hydraulic elevator connects the 2-½ levels and provides ADA and Florida Building Code Compliance.
