As Ballardites may have seen from the construction crews, the Ballard Fire Station (SFD Station 18) has been undergoing construction since January of this year.
The City recently gave an update to the construction and stated that the project is about 50 percent complete.
Construction began in January 2015 and is expected to finish in December 2015. Station 18 firefighters are now operating out of a temporary location at 4733 Shilshole Ave. NW.
The station is currently receiving substantial remodeling and seismic retrofit work to bring it up to code. It’s being designed with LEED Gold standards and therefore, the heating, cooling and ventilating systems are being upgraded to meet efficiency standards. Old lighting is being replaced with low-wattage LED fixtures, and new water-efficient plumbing fixtures are being installed. In additional, to conserve energy, more insulation is being added to the roof and walls. Space is also being added for a maintenance area and storage. Included in the remodel is added space for storage and upgrades to the battalion chief office. The communal space will be replaced by individual bunk spaces for firefighters.
The project funded by the Fire Facilities and Emergency Response Levy, which was approved by voters in 2003. The levy funds renovations, retrofitting and replacement of 32 neighborhood fire stations throughout the Seattle. The levy recently funded the replacement of Fire Station 20 in Queen Anne, which became the “greenest” fire station in the State.
So far, the work to date at Station 18 has been large-scale structural changes, including replacement of the wood framing and heavy structural steel members.
According to the City, the framing of interior walls is mostly finished and though the electrical and mechanical work is still rough, it’s near completion.
The city reports that the roofing layer or vapor barrier work was completed on Friday. Currently the construction team is replacing three major glued laminated (glulams) beams that were unsalvageable due to decay.
SFD is planning a community open house in early 2016. The public will be invited to tour the station and meet the firefighters.
