St. Armands fire station to open in September

Sarasota County Fire Station 3 will soon be blazing trails.

Major construction of the fire station on St. Armands Key, the first Sarasota County fire station to comply with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green-building standards, will likely end within two weeks, said Mike Tobias, chief of logistics with the Sarasota County Fire Department.

Firefighters are expected to move into the facility, located at 47 N. Adams Drive, in mid-to-late September.
Construction of three additional “green” Sarasota County fire stations is under way, Tobias said. Another three are planned for 2010 and 2011.

“We think this is a good step in the right direction,” Tobias said.

The St. Armands fire station was built in 1954. The four firefighters who were stationed in the building struggled with its old wiring and bathrooms, which were located in a different building. The county discussed remodeling the building, but the renovations would not comply with FEMA standards.

In December 2007, the old facility was torn down, and construction of the new station began in 2008. Since the demolition, St. Armands firefighters have been stationed at a temporary facility near the Lido Beach Pavilion.

According to Tobias, the station’s green features will include solar-water heating, a cistern for collecting rainwater and a greywater system that uses recycled water for flushing toilets.

“Everything was done to minimize the carbon footprint that we leave behind by building,” Tobias said.
Construction costs of the 9,100-square-foot station total approximately $2.6 million, Tobias said. Energy-and-water costs for the building are expected to be 15% lower than those of a standard building.

The fire station will have a meeting room with seating for 20, which will be open to the community.

A dedication will take place later this fall.