City officials saved the community nearly $1 million by choosing to renovate the existing fire hall in lieu of building new.

EAPC has transformed the old Webster fire hall, a stout masonry structure and former service station into a modern, seven-bay Fire Station serving the communities of Webster, Bristol, Roslyn and Waubay, South Dakota.

The Webster Fire Department has been dealing with an inefficient, dilapidated and outdated facility for many years. EAPC was hired by the City to determine if the facility was worth renovating or if it would be better to build new. The existing station was originally built as a service station in the 1950’s and was converted to a fire station in the early 2000’s. A combination of improper site drainage, a compromised roof drainage system and a failing ballasted roof resulted in large amounts of water infiltration in recent years. This water caused massive mold growth and made portions of the building inhabitable and resulted in the Police Department moving out of the building.

Our analysis of the building determined that once the mold was removed and the roof was replaced, the remaining structure was in very good shape. We worked with the City to determine the long term needs of the Fire Department and the best option for achieving them. EAPC presented a renovation and addition option that was almost $1 million less than a new building, but would still meet the needs of the department in the future. The interior of the existing station was completely gutted to create a new floor plan within the exterior shell. Large portions of concrete floor slab were demolished to create one consistent elevation on the south half of the building that also allowed for new plumbing and utilities to be installed.

The new configuration allows for an office, meeting room, showers, bathrooms, laundry, mechanical, storage, six apparatus bays, training, and a multi-purpose room to fit within the existing 6,800 SF structure. An addition is included to provide for a future ladder truck to be housed within the facility. This project also provides a completely new mechanical system, electrical system, roof replacement, and additional insulation to the roof and exterior walls. In the end, the City of Webster will have a fire station that meets all their needs for a fraction of the cost of new.