Bellaire To Open New Fire Station Saturday
By Carol Christian, Chron.com / Houston Chronicle Published 6:30 am, Friday, January 14, 2011 (
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After a year in a retrofitted office building, the Bellaire Fire Department has a new home.
The new station at 5101 Jessamine St. will be open for tours Saturday, Jan. 15, during a grand opening 10 a.m. to noon.
"It's probably the one and only time the living quarters will be available for viewing," Fire Chief Darryl Anderson said.
The department's 21 firefighters moved into the new facility in early November. For the previous two years, the city had been leasing an empty two-story office building at Fournace Street and South Rice Avenue.
The city's previous fire station, on the same site as the new one, was built in 1954 and torn down in 2009.
Even the converted office building was an improvement over the old station, Anderson said.
Although final costs haven't been calculated, the total price for the new station, including design, construction and furnishings, is believed to be less than the $4.88 million budget, the chief said.
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From the PGAL (Architects/Design Firm) Website:
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Located on the heavily trafficked and highly visible corner site of the former station, Bellaire’s new six-bay, 180,000-square-foot fire station and emergency operations center is a commanding presence.
The new facility helps define the city's public service infrastructure and represents an investment in the future of this established neighborhood.
One of the primary design goals was to seamlessly integrate the new facility into the fabric of the community while creating a distinct visual identity. To achieve this balance, PGAL translated traditional fire station elements — such as the brick façade and tower — into a modern vocabulary of clean lines, accent features, and state-of-the-art technology. The result is an eye-catching facility that is aesthetically comfortable in its surroundings, and fully equipped to provide first-rate public safety services.
Features Include:
Six-bay, 180,000-square-foot fire station and emergency operations center
State-of-the-art facility that seamlessly blends into the Bellaire community.
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From the Bellaire Fire Department website:
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The Bellaire Fire Department is composed of 21 fully paid professional fire fighters and a dedicated group of volunteers. The Fire Chief Darryl Anderson and Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal Alton Moses are administrative leaders of the department.
Emergency services are provided by 3 shifts working 24 hours, 365 days a year. Each shift does a 48 hour tour.