In Quarters: Chula Vista Fire Station No. 3

This facility received the Career 2 Notable Award in the 2021 Firehouse Station Design Awards. Find the full list of winners here. 

Jeff Katz Architecture worked in partnership with ECC to complete this design-build fire station for the city of Chula Vista. The building is located on a challenging triangular-shaped lot that was strategically selected by the city to improve response times on the west side of the city. The original site boundaries were too small to ensure proper safety measures for ingress and egress of fire apparatus’ turning radii at traffic intersections and fire station driveways. In response, the team provided several options and turning radius studies to inform the city and fire department of their options, so they could make an educated decision on the safest way to develop this site. The  decision was made to close Alpine Avenue and adjust the property line to include that area as part of the project site.

Another challenge was determining how the fire department would maneuver its urban search and rescue apparatus into its designated space under tight site constraints. The solution was to provide 30-foot fabric doors on the back side of the station in lieu of the standard 14-foot-wide doors. These issues were solved through extensive collaboration with the city, fire department and the design-build team to successfully determine the best solution.

The interior of the station includes four apparatus bays, 10 dormitory rooms, single-occupancy restrooms, three offices  a dayroom, a large kitchen/dining area, a fitness room and fire department operational support spaces. The exterior of the building was designed to fit into the existing residential neighborhood while maintaining a civic presence in the community.

On-site improvements include public and personnel parking, a generator, a fueling station, a hose-drying area and stormwater treatment areas. Off-site improvements consisted of modifications to existing streets, emergency exit traffic signals and the abandonment of existing roadways (redesignated by the city).

Architect/Firm Name: Jeff Katz Architecture