New Fire Station No. 30 at Town of Topeka, Indiana

DLZ was commissioned by the Town of Topeka, Indiana, to provide complete architecture and engineering services associated with the New Fire Station No. 30. The 17,893 square foot building includes a five-bay apparatus bay, administrative and living quarters, and a training room. The 4.3-acre site comprises dedicated public parking, including horse and buggy stalls, firefighter parking, a by-pass lane for apparatus vehicles, and a firefighter training area.

Located within rural northeast Indiana, the facility’s training area accommodates a variety of training stations. Ample clearances allow multiple response vehicles to respond to simulated emergency incidents, including vehicle extraction, fuel spills, and vehicle maneuvering. A smoke/firehouse mock wall and roof construction features and confined space scenarios provide for a variety of training opportunities.

Simultaneous but separate projects include the construction of a new pedestal-type water tower. The tower is on the southwestern portion of the site and the extension of Zook Road and Starcraft Drive. This spot forms the intersection at the northwest corner of the site.

In addition to coordination with the other adjacent capital improvement projects, one of the most significant challenges involved the project schedule. To prevent a loss of funding, DLZ completed programming, concept design, construction documents, and bidding within less than three months.