Chula Vista Fire Station No. 1 has been a landmark structure in the community since it first opened in 1948. It is even proudly featured on the Chula Vista Fire Department logo. While the exterior of the facility was iconic to the city, at 77 years old the inside was outdated and no longer met the evolving needs of the Fire Department. COAR worked closely with the City of Chula Vista to design a new layout for the station that would provide an improved live/work space for fire personnel, while preserving elements of the station that the Department and Community loves.

Renovated elements included the demolition of most of the existing interior walls, doors/windows, ceilings, finishes, and utilities, and integrated best practices for fire station design that would equip the facility for the next 50+ years. The updated facility accommodates modern equipment including an expanded apparatus bay for a new ladder truck, an ambulance company, and personnel facilities. Structural improvements involved bringing the building into compliance with current Essential Service Facility codes. The city also elected to update the exterior with new stucco and a new roof to repair aging aspects of the building and ensure it will stand proudly for years to come.

Tasked with the challenge of remaining operational during construction, The ECC/COAR team worked closely with the City, the Fire Department, and the Construction management team to phase the construction and ensure designated portions of the building remained operational. The building program was developed to meet the specific needs of the station, as well as ensure design consistency across Chula Vista Fire Station 3, Station 5, and Station 10. This was an important factor that allows operations to stay consistent throughout the entire Department.

The original fire alarm bell from 1948 still stands outside the building and was rung in celebration of the station’s reopening.