Suffolk Fire Station #11 and Training Tower
Suffolk, Virginia
Square Footage
18,000 SF
Building Type
Public Safety
Project Type
New Construction
Team
Architect-led
Services Provided
Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Design, Construction Administration, Commissioning
Overview
New construction of a 18,000+-square-foot fire station that includes a large training and community room in Suffolk, Virginia. The station will house firefighters, hazmat and dive teams and cuts response time in half for the city's northern neighborhoods. Thompson Consulting Engineers provided full MEP design services, Construction Administration and Commissioning.
Challenges
- Designing a multifunctional facility that serves firefighters, hazmat teams, and dive-rescue personnel required intricate coordination to ensure safe, efficient circulation between living areas, decontamination zones, and apparatus bays./li>
- Integrating a three-story training tower, specialized equipment rooms, and advanced building systems presented unique structural and MEP challenges while still meeting strict NFPA, FEMA, and ISO performance standards.
- Balancing the project’s complex programmatic needs with its $12 million budget demanded strategic design solutions that preserved operational capability, long-term durability, and energy-efficient performance without compromising functionality.
Goals
- Clear, contamination-controlled pathways between apparatus bays, gear-washing areas, and living quarters, ensuring each specialty team could operate safely and efficiently within the shared facility.
- Advanced mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to support the intensive training functions of the three-story tower while maintaining energy efficiency and compliance with NFPA, FEMA, and ISO standards.
- Through strategic system selections, detailed coordination, and cost-conscious design decisions, we delivered a high-performance facility that met the full programmatic needs while respecting the project’s established budget.
Project Team
- Owner: City of Suffolk
- Architect: RRMM
- Structural:
- Civil:
- Contractor: A.R. Chesson Construction Co., Inc.
Results
- The new station has significantly improved operational readiness, enabling firefighters and specialty teams to move seamlessly from living spaces to emergency response vehicles, reducing transition time during critical moments.
- Enhanced system reliability and improved facility layout have contributed to faster response times across the coverage area—an impact that Suffolk Fire leadership has publicly highlighted as a major benefit of the new station.
- The training tower and modernized building systems provide long-term value to the City of Suffolk, equipping personnel with the tools, technology, and infrastructure needed to perform safely, efficiently, and effectively for decades to come.
