Bricktown Fire Station

[bluedogok]

It wouldn't have to be plexi, we use hurricane rated glazing on coastal projects. Now plexi might make sense on the overhead doors but I have seen doors larger than that with glass in them, they are just very heavy.

[BG918]

I like this design. I could see such a fire station with brick and lots of glass being a better gateway building to Bricktown at Lincoln & Sheridan.

Any updates on a redesign?

[metro]

Looks like the committee approved the new designs yesterday. I was hoping they'd make them tweak them a little more and get rid of the front parking lot and build it closer to the street with parallel parking on the street. Still looks pretty suburban to me.








http://newsok.com/committee-backs-ch...adlines_widget
Committee backs changes to Bricktown firehouse plan
Published: April 9, 2009

A "retooling” of designs for a proposed Bricktown fire station has won unanimous approval from a once skeptical Bricktown Urban Design Committee.

Earlier plans for the station, to be built at Lincoln Boulevard and Sheridan Avenue, were criticized as being too suburban and not meeting standards applied to commercial structures in the area.

Designs by LWPB were applauded at Wednesday’s committee meeting for featuring doors resembling those used in 1910 and including a tower similar to one used with the Bricktown Police Substation.

Construction is expected to begin later this year.

[westsidesooner]

It is much better than the original design. And I do like the the old-school garage doors. But... I wish the tower would be a little more prominent

[bombermwc]

Well it's not like we're seeing much architectural style in other departments around town. MWC is rebuilding 3 stations...including moving HQ's. The old HQ was a 70's era small round stone building...nothing spectacular, but not horrible. It matched the police station and municipcal complex next door to it.

The newest station ( i believe it's #2..the old #2 matched HQ in style ) recently finished it's exterior work. It's your basic brick building. Everything is square, nothing fancy....it's a form follows function building. 2 floors, but I believe it will have a slide and not a pole....the slides work better anyway. So we're not seeing much imagination in civic structures. However, as a tax payer, I'd probably rather see a conservative use of my money on this type of project. Is there really a need for a fire station to be super fancy? As long as you've got a place to shove a couple engines and a place for people to live on shift...what else do you need?

[metro]

Downtown OKC =/ MidWest City

[Joe Kimball]

Is there really a need for a fire station to be super fancy? As long as you've got a place to shove a couple engines and a place for people to live on shift...what else do you need?

As a non-firefighter, I suppose a varying definition of the above might answer what else is needed. The fastest and most efficient way for apparatus to get out and conditions that facilitate appropriate mental and physical condition of the firefighters---I would see that as necessary.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Not a fan of the site plan...still.

[BG918]

Where exactly is the site?

[bombermwc]

metro = thank you captain obvious. But if you look around OKC, it's the same situation. They're mostly neighborhood facilities built to NOT stand out. So it's in bricktown....does that mean it's supposed to be extravagant? The police station certainly isn't.

And let me remind you that the MWC fire department is the only one in the state with a class 1 rating. SOooo their facilities seem to be more than adequate bub.

[metro]

Not obvious, but I do expect it to be URBAN. You're forgetting we need to build downtown as an URBAN CORE and not typical suburban design like most of the city. Again, you keep mentioning the rest of the city, Downtown is not like the rest of the city nor should it be. It's the one place in the entire city where we can shine well in a concentrated area. Did you listen to any of Jeff Speck's recommendations or videos? I'm a downtown resident, property owner and taxpayer, so I can expect more out of our local government to take pride in building a quality development downtown. I can almost guarantee the city and Bricktown commission will be regretting building this in about 10 years when much more of downtown is filled in. It will stand out suburban like Bass Pro.

[wsucougz]

The site plan is terrible. I don't get it. Maybe the next consultant we bring in should be Christian Bale to ask: "what don't you f*cking understand!?"

We shouldn't even be talking about core-to-shore right now because this city has a long way to go even to reach urban planning 101, in my(admittedly amateur) opinion. Here we go chipping away at the perimeter again.

I thought Bricktown Urban Design was on the right track. Maybe there is more to this story, and that it will actually be closer to the street than shown in the renderings?

[okclee]

We shouldn't even be talking about core-to-shore right now because this city has a long way to go even to reach urban planning 101, in my(admittedly amateur) opinion. Here we go chipping away at the perimeter again.

I thought Bricktown Urban Design was on the right track. Maybe there is more to this story, and that it will actually be closer to the street than shown in the renderings?

That is a great statement. I will be very hesitant to vote yes on another MAPS tax if the urban planning doesn't show improvement.

We can't keep approving projects (The Hill, okc chamber building, bricktown firestation, etc.) and expect the citizens of Okc to continue supporting with a Yes vote.

[Caboose]

Well, complaining about it on here isn't going to help. Email the mayor's office. I did.

mayor@okc.gov

Just be polite. Remember, be complimentary at first, then politely make your argument.

[BDP]

Is there really a need for a fire station to be super fancy?

I guess if there isn't a need to live in a nice city, no.

I was hoping they'd make them tweak them a little more and get rid of the front parking lot and build it closer to the street with parallel parking on the street.

Yeah, I don't get how this repeatedly alludes our design committees. If we could just get over this idea that surface parking lots are supposed to be a primary feature of developments, we would make a huge step towards better design. Let's feature the buildings, not asphalt.

[warreng88]

Where exactly is the site?

Earlier plans for the station, to be built at Lincoln Boulevard and Sheridan Avenue

I think it is where the Stewart Metal building is on the NW corner of Lincoln and Sheridan. Here is the link to the County Assessor site:

Leonard Sullivan Oklahoma County Assessor Real Property Detail Sheet

[okclee]

Well, complaining about it on here isn't going to help. Email the mayor's office. I did.

mayor@okc.gov

Just be polite. Remember, be complimentary at first, then politely make your argument.

Good point, I just sent him an email. Thanks.

[kevinpate]

The out front pavement folks don't seem to like - is that the asphalt in front of the bays?

This is the space where trucks are put when there's other stuff happening in the bays, and where they get washed outside, and where the truck needs to clear the bay completely before beginning a turn onto a street.

Perhaps there's some functionality in the design which a desire of appearance may be overlooking. Might just be me, but if anywhere needs function over fluff, it's where our fire folk live/work.

[Thunder]

The design looks kool to me. I have no frickin clue why anyone would complain and whine about it.

The concrete leading the exit from the bays is a must. That is where the trucks is out for daily tests and, of course, washings.

I see parking for visitors, it seem just enough. I'm not sure if a huge school bus would be able to weasel thru that visitor parking space.

The parking space behind the building is fine. Considering how big the trucks is, they need room for the turns, so I see no valid reason to complain there.

The only thing that is missing from the graphics is the trees. Hopefully, they will put in trees around the area.

[Architect2010]

Really? Those long-ass "driveways" are a neccessity?

Hmm. Thats funny, because I don't see those large expanses of asphalt in a lot of other stations. And umm, if the back lot was built for them to drive through, then why couldn't they be washed back there?

Yeah, I'm going to complain because the fire stations in my part of the city are closer to the street than that.

[wsucougz]

I have no frickin clue

You said it, man. Not me.

[oneforone]

Really? Those long-ass "driveways" are a neccessity?

Hmm. Thats funny, because I don't see those large expanses of asphalt in a lot of other stations. And umm, if the back lot was built for them to drive through, then why couldn't they be washed back there?

Yeah, I'm going to complain because the fire stations in my part of the city are closer to the street than that.

That drawing is only a scale drawing. The length of the drive will only be about 30-50ft. (The average fire truck is at least 24-30ft long) The drawings I created in Crime Scene/Traffic CAD Class always made walkways, drives and parking lots look bigger than what they actually were. Not mention the city will probably add trees and landscaping to take away from presence of the long drive. I predict the site size will probably be the same size as other stations they have built over the years.

[Rescue_Company_One]

As for the people complaining that sliding down the pole is the safest thing they do all day, Please stop. You have no idea what your talking about. Yes a pole is a traditional look in a 2 or more story firehouse, However, you would be first in line when a Firefighter fell and severly injured themselves or god forbid died. Dont forget, They wake up to a loud bell from a dead sleep and are out the door 45 seconds later. Most people cant find thier alarm clock that quick. Give them the safest you can. They save lives. Dont risk thiers unnecassarly.

As for Midwest City getting a coveted ISO Class 1 rating, Fantastic. But Oklahoma City has 621 square miles. It would cost hundreds of Millions of Dollars to cover the entire city for ISO class 1.

Some of these are way to big for Bricktown but if they were scaled down a bit it would work. These are fire Station built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I think these couls look very good in OKC.

[metro]

I'm glad several of you above aren't in charge of the design, or it'd be even more suburban in design. I swear, we need to get some bumper stickers going for downtown like Edmond and Norman have. Don't EDMOND my DOWNTOWN.

Here are URBAN firestations.

[Thunder]

Can someone explain the difference between the two, Urban and Suburban?!