Design of new Hoffman Estates fire station gets village board’s approval
New architectural and site plans for Hoffman Estates’ planned replacement for Fire Station 21 have met with approval from village board members and positive feedback from neighbors.
The estimated $7.9 million project is on track for a September groundbreaking that would allow the facility to open by the end of 2025, officials said.
The next time the project will come before the board likely will be for approval of a winning construction bid.
The approximately 12,000-square-foot structure with three apparatus bays that could be double-stacked is planned to be built immediately east of its aging predecessor at 225 Flagstaff Lane, at the northwest corner of the village’s Chino Park.
The station will include a fitness center and living quarters for up to seven staff members at a time, though only five or six are typically assigned currently.
“We think that we will have adequate room for growth before we even need to consider any kind of renovation,” Fire Chief Alan Wax said.
The station will include a severe storm shelter and a decontamination area for firefighters returning from calls, the health importance of which was probably not realized to the same degree during the design of the existing half-century-old Station 21.
When the new building is done and firefighters move in, demolition of the old station will take place to create a parking lot that can accommodate the personal vehicles of two shifts at a time.
Jacob McLaughlin, senior associate of FGM Architects of Oak Brook, said the stone and brick materials, as well as the red bay doors, are intended to match the existing architecture of the residential neighborhood. The large building also was designed to appear smaller than it is.
“A few weeks ago we met with the public to show all of these images, with good feedback,” McLaughlin said. “Everyone was excited and happy to see that the fire station was remaining in their neighborhood.”
“It will really fit into the neighborhood well,” said Trustee Karen Mills, who chairs the board’s public health & safety committee.
The village issued $9.5 million in bonds to pay for the construction of the station. Trustees also approved an increase in the portion of ambulance fees covered by insurance to pay off the debt over 20 years.
The architectural firm, which has been working on the station design since January, will receive 6.8% of the construction cost as its fee.