Granville Study Report 01.12.16 1-10granvilletownship.org/pdf/Fire Station Replacement...GRANVILLE...

MOODY•NOLAN

GRANVILLE TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT Granville Township, Ohio

FEASIBILITY STUDY Existing Fire Station Site

January 2016

GRANVILLE TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT

Existing Fire Station Site | FEASIBILITY STUDY January 2016

MOODY•NOLAN

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report was prepared by MoodyNolan for the Granville Township Board of Trustees and the Granville Township Fire Department (GTFD) in order to present the findings of a study analyzing the feasibility of constructing a New Fire Station at the site of the current fire station on North Prospect Street in Granville. The study is intended to be used as a part of the GTFD’s overall assessment of the department’s future facility needs.

The study includes:

A review and update of an existing program of building spaces developed previously;

Conceptual design sketches of site plans, floor plans and exterior elevations to verify the program/site relationship;

A recommendation as to whether or not a new fire station satisfying the department’s programmatic and functional requirements can be built at the existing location.

Based upon a review the current building physical conditions, as well as the previous evaluation, the Fire Station is well maintained and in relatively good condition. Several factors however, lead to the conclusion that this facility is lacking the functions to continue to support of a modern Fire Department.

Photograph 1. Granville Township Fire Department Fleet.



MOODY•NOLAN

INTRODUCTION

Fire departments and their chiefs are tasked with the regular review of current and projected facility requirements. The location, composition and organization of public safety buildings and infrastructure often impact the timeliness and quality of services provided to the public. To this end, the GTFD and Chief Hussey initiated a review of their buildings in 2010. That study analyzed the space needs of the current department, along with and facility location in relation to calls for emergency response. The results identified the current location at 133 North Prospect Street in Granville as very desirable with regards to geographic proximity and response time to all areas of coverage for the department, but due in part to the conceptual nature of that process, the site was removed from consideration due to its tight confines, despite a negative impact on emergency response times. The existing fire station was also deemed outdated for the current GTFD.

In late 2013, the GTFD and Fire Chief Jeff Hussey contacted the architectural firm of MoodyNolan seeking professional services to study the feasibility of reusing the site of the existing fire station for a new facility. MoodyNolan was sought out, based largely upon their experience with public safety/fire rescue facilities, as well as their projects located on compact sites. Chief Hussey expressed an obligation to the community to verify the potential or lack thereof for a new facility on their existing site before accepting the adverse impact on emergency response times imposed by a remote location.

The GTFD is operated by the Granville Township Board of Trustees and provides fire suppression, fire prevention and education, as well as emergency medical services (EMS) and rescue for Granville Township including the Village of Granville and Denison University. The Department also provides services under contractual agreement for portions of McKean Township and Union Township. The Department is funded by Granville Township fire levies (4.8 mills) along with fees from the contract townships.

By definition, the GTFD is a combination department, staffed with blend of career, intermittently scheduled, and volunteer members. Paid staffing is scheduled to maintain a minimum of four personnel on duty at all times, twenty-four hours a day. There are currently ten career firefighter/paramedics, sixteen intermittent firefighter/paramedics, and twenty-five volunteer firefighter/EMTs and paramedics. Two additional “peak time” positions (7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday thru Friday) are filled by an additional 6-7 part-time firefighter/paramedics in order to cover periods when volunteers are typically not available. Fire code enforcement is handled by a part-time fire inspector working under the direction of the Fire Chief. In addition to a modern fleet of fire apparatus that includes: a 1500 GPM compressed air foam system (CAFS) pumper, a 1500 GPM rescue/pumper, a 93-foot aerial platform, and an 2000 gallon tanker; the GTFD operates two advanced life support ambulances and one brush truck.



MOODY•NOLAN

The existing Granville Township Fire Station is addressed at 133 North Prospect Street in Granville, but the GTFD actually operates from an inefficient complex of three buildings. The fire station was constructed in 1972, largely thru the efforts of the department’s volunteer membership and Village of Granville, houses the fire apparatus fleet and fire gear and equipment, as well as the kitchen/day room and storage. The station, which is leased to the Township, stands directly adjacent, but disconnected from two Township Owned houses at 133 and 135 East College Street, respectively.

Photograph 2. Granville Township Fire Station.

The “Allen Sinnett House” was constructed in 1822 at by a local blacksmith, Allen Sinnett, 135 East College Street (the corner of N Prospect and E College). The building currently houses the dayroom (living room), lockers, restrooms, and dormitory space for on-duty GTFD personnel. This residence has been extensively modified over the years, including: the addition of a modern attached garage at the rear, attempts to “weatherproof” the soft exterior brick (paint/no paint), code required changes around the stair due to allow dormitory rooms on the second floor, and what appears to be the removal of the original rear porch along with significant reconstruction at the west exterior wall. Despite the alterations, the house remains in good repair.

Photograph 3. Rear of 133E College (left) and 135 E College St (right).



MOODY•NOLAN

Next door to the west, at 133 East College Street stands another Federal Style house built by Mr. Sinnett; “Tan Y Bryn” was constructed in 1823 for Periander Taylor. The first floor of this structure houses offices for the fire chief and fire prevention, along with other administrative functions. The rear portion of this structure has been modified as well; but overall, the building appears to be have been well maintained.

Photograph 3. Rear of 133E College (left) and 135 E College St (right).



MOODY•NOLAN

METHODOLOGY

The study of the existing location as a potential site for a new or renovated facility began with a review of the existing facilities to confirm the assessment and deficiencies previously noted, as well as to develop an understanding of operational needs and existing limitations.

During the process of reviewing the conceptual building program of spaces, members of the department were interviewed to improve the design team’s understanding of the department’s specific requirements, needs and goals. The team compared typical space requirements for this type of facility with the information gathered to identify potential deficits or excesses in the program square footage. In addition to discussions with fire department members, the design team also met with Township Trustees, Village Officials and Fire Department Administration on several occasions in order to better understand the site with regards to planning, zoning and infrastructure, the team also met with representatives from community government.

A site plan of the current “fire department corner” was assembled from existing survey and title documents, to include the five, Township and Village owned parcels situated at the northwest corner of the North Prospect Street and East College Street in Granville. That area includes the site of the current fire station, two township-owned and fire department occupied residential structures along the south side of East College Street, and a partially vacant lot at the rear of the existing station, utilized for an access ramp to the building, utility poles, an emergency generator, and some parking.

Working within the confines of the existing site and the revised conceptual program of spaces, the design team proceeded to seek potential schemes for that will accommodate the square footage required in the program of spaces along with the necessary arrangement and adjacencies for those spaces to lend function to plan.



MOODY•NOLAN

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

The Moody Nolan Design Team was directed to “think outside the box” while staying “inside the box.” The site under consideration and study for this proposal presents a many limitations, but at the same time it offers a great deal of opportunity.

The existing buildings have been modified and stretched to support the GTFD resulting in an unconventional operating model; whereby, on-duty staff responds to emergency calls from another building, resulting in unavoidable delay. Although well-constructed and well-maintained, the complex presents many of the programmatic and space issues common to an aging facility that was designed and constructed for a volunteer operation, now pressed to support staffing 24 hours a day / 7 days a week / 365 days a year. Those concerns include: cramped space for fire apparatus and EMS vehicles, leading to increased vehicle purchase costs related to vehicle customizations; insufficient operational, administrative, training, support, and living areas; virtually non-existent training options; and very limited or missing square footage for storage space. Notably absent in the current fire station is storage space for firefighter turnout gear that is separated from fire apparatus, or modern ventilation for exhaust from those vehicles.

After overlaying the existing site with the of the updated 14,500 square feet gross building program, a multi-story Firehouse with a partial basement has surfaced. The proposed apparatus bay space is approximately 5300 square feet, which is consistent with similar facilities, but still about 25% larger than the existing station. Not only is the space larger, but the proposed relocation of support spaces currently located with the vehicle storage. (turn-out gear storage, tool storage and maintenance, clean-up, etc.) serving to further open that room up.

Typical of many firehouses, this concept places most of the spaces occupied by emergency responders during the daytime, on the first floor, allowing for a close connection to the fire apparatus room and the public entry. The administrative spaces, along with those for training, dormitory, and locker rooms are arranged on a second level. A partial basement proposes a location for mechanical equipment, storage, gear laundry, and specialized maintenance.

In order to reasonably determine the feasibility of building a new firehouse at the existing location, we have developed a conceptual design that arranges the square footage for various grouped uses, and accounting for circulation between spaces and areas and required adjacencies and connection between spaces.

The concept situates part of the new firehouse in line with the existing adjacent structures, maximizing the available building site while respecting the plan for the Village Business District. To overcome the hurdle presented by large fire vehicles exiting and entering the building, the apparatus bays would be located further away from the street than the existing arrangement. The enlarged apparatus ramp would provide an improved ante- or preparatory region between the building and the street, creating the opportunity for safer interaction between fire department vehicles and traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian.

The suggested conceptual multi-story configuration is consistent with not only the adjacent buildings but the majority of those found in the community. While future study is certainly required, a durable building exterior of brick masonry, cement-plank clapboard siding or some combination of the two, common to many new fire stations as well as many structures throughout the Township, would be likely options.



MOODY•NOLAN

A tower element has been suggested to provide additional training opportunities for GTFD Personal; this element would be designed to support a variety of training drills and evolutions. In addition to the vocational benefits afforded via more diverse training, a tower also adds an important vertical element to the scheme.

The two historic residences located at the north of the site along East College Street are planned to remain. During the study of the site, the house at the corner of North Prospect Street and East College Street was reviewed by a member of the design team who specializes in the preservation and adaptive reuse historic structures. A portion of that house, specifically the modern garage added to the south as a replacement for the original rear porch could be removed to increase the overall usable site without any detriment to the residence’s historic character.

The availability of parking is a common concern presented by any “urban” location and this site is no exception. The conceptual arrangement has space for parking for fire department personnel at the rear of the building as well as on-street in front. With the improved approach and access to N Prospect, fire department vehicles, more specifically the tower ladder truck, would no longer have to utilize the of the private property across from the station to turn in or out of the building, and some of the former parking spaces across from the station could be returned as available parking. It is worth noting that with some further analysis of parking on and around the fire station site, a net gain of four to six parking spaces could be realized. Dedicated on-street parking spaces would likely need to be maintained for the public visiting the firehouse.



MOODY•NOLAN

10 FF's 2 Co-OP's

PROGRAM AREA PROGRAM SPACE SF NOTES

Entry Entrance / Vestibule 150Public Unisex Restroom 80Watch 100Medical Walk-In 80

Circulation factor @ 15% 62AREA TOTAL 472

Administrative Areas Fire Chief 200Company Officers 200Prevention Storage 64Office Storage 64Custodial 64

Circulation factor @ 15% 89AREA TOTAL 681

Training Training Room (seating for 40) 600Wellness 500Data / Comm / IT Support 64Storage 100

Circulation factor @ 15% 190AREA TOTAL 1,454

Private Living Areas Day Room 384Kitchen 216Pantries (storage) 75Dining Room 216Outdoor Dining / Living SpaceDorm 640Shower / Toilet Rms 280Locker Rm (44 lockers) 352CO-OP Rooms 220COOP Bathrooms (jack-n-jill, 1 for 2) 49Domestic Laundry Room 80Linen Closet 40Custodial 64


Support Turnout Gear Rm (44 lockers) 440Shop/ Tool Rm./ Storage 120EMS Storage Area 200Clean-Up / Decon Area 150Custodial 64Mechanical Room 350SCBA Shop 64General Storage 200Gear Laundry 150Electrical Room 150



PROGRAM TOTAL SF 14,507

PROGRAM OF REQUIREMENTS

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MOODY•NOLAN



MOODY•NOLAN

CONCLUSION

Simply stated, the team has concluded that a new firehouse can be successfully constructed at the current site.

Many communities, like yours, are finding themselves in a state of transition, brought on by the change from volunteer departments, to a combination of volunteers, part-time and full-time personnel. During volunteer-era when the Granville Township Fire Department responded to their community’s calls by first responding to the firehouse from home or work, they required no living quarters. As the population of the community has increased, the numbers of emergency calls have increased as well. The resulting evolution from a fire department with an all-volunteer membership, to a staff that combines volunteers, with part-timers and full-timers, has resulted in the evolutionary change of their firehouse.

Society’s needs and demands, as well as increases in the use of technology have changed the firehouse. It remains the firefighter’s home away from home, and their office. The firehouse is the place where the public, both the citizens of a community and those traveling thru, call upon for a variety of needs – emergency and other. It's the place from which they launch their attack, from which they jump into the unknown every time the alarm sounds.

Whether referred to as a fire station, a firehouse, fire engine house, or a fire hall, the building functions to house a fire department’s on-duty personnel, operations and equipment, and support the department’s primary mission, “To protect and preserve, life and property.” The firehouse usually serves as the primary non-emergency point of contact between the fire department and the public it serves, and accommodations should be provided to welcome public interface. Department services such as administration, prevention, inspection, and education require interaction with the public. The firehouse can be the center of the Community, providing a variety of services, including fire suppression, emergency medical resources, fire prevention, and education. In addition to these commonly recognized roles, the firehouse serves as a ‘safe-house’ for persons in need; an organizational center for emergency management activities during a disaster; an emergency shelter during such a disaster; an information resource for individuals in the community; and a location for public meetings.

The firehouse is a civic building, a reflection of the community that constructed it, and often expressive of common building styles and materials found in that locale. The Granville Township Fire Department is closely related to the community they protect.

The proposed Program of Building Spaces for a New Granville Township Fire Station presents a solution for the GTFD that offers efficiency as a result of consolidating operations into one building. The Building Program is sized to accommodate an on-duty staff of ten, plus administration and prevention. Considering the department’s staffing, along with expected/projected future emergency response trends, the concept should accommodate reasonable growth in the community and by proxy the GTFD.

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MOODY•NOLAN

RECOMMENDATION

The results of the study and update of the program of building spaces, in conjunction with the conceptual designs developed for this study, verify that a new fire station can be constructed on the site of the existing facility, that will accommodate the programmatic and square footage needs of the GTFD is a satisfactory manner.

Based upon the existing response time mapping data, the existing fire station site received a very positive evaluation with regards to its value as a site for initiating emergency responses for the GTFD.

Considering these factors, along with the likely construction cost savings collected by avoiding the acquisition and development costs related to construction on an unimproved site, MoodyNolan recommends the Granville Township Board of Trustees and the Granville Township Fire Department strongly consider the use of the site of the existing fire station at 133 North Prospect Street as a location for a future, modern fire station.



MOODY•NOLAN

GRANVILLE TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT Existing Fire Station Site | FEASIBILITY STUDY

January 2016

Granville Study Report 01.12.16 1-10granvilletownship.org/pdf/Fire Station Replacement...GRANVILLE...

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Transcript of Granville Study Report 01.12.16 1-10granvilletownship.org/pdf/Fire Station Replacement...GRANVILLE...