Cedar Rapids Central Fire Headquarters

LeMay Erickson Willcox Architects was retained to work with Solum Lang Architects for the design of the new Cedar Rapids Central Fire Station.

Five years after the Flood of 2008, the new Central Fire Station has reopened in a new, more prominent location. With its striking red brick exterior, keystones and arched details above the garage doors and windows, the details give a nod to the stations important place in Cedar Rapids history. This new 67,000 s.f. facility includes 8 bays, 7 of which are drive-thru bays, an underground parking garage, kitchen/ dining/day room, library, fitness room, 17 private bunkrooms, a training conference room, and built-in training features.

The station was designed and constructed with the assistance of FEMA not only to serve as a working firehouse, but also to house the fire department’s Administrative Headquarters as well as the Emergency Operation Center. Designed to operate “off-grid”, this station can operate independently if a catastrophic event were to leave the city without water, gas, electrical or telecommunications systems.

Central Fire station received LEED Platinum certification by incorporating such features as geothermal wells, low SRI roofing, low flow plumbing fixtures and regional materials.