The project site consists of a 1.7-acre property located northwest of the West Casa Loma Drive and U.S. Highway 98 intersection in Mary Esther, Okaloosa County, FL. The building design consists of a one-story fire department facility of approximately 17,300-SF, that houses an administrative area separated from the crew living quarters by the four apparatus bays, in a “saddlebag” floor plan configuration. The facility includes equipment areas, an enhanced multipurpose room designed to serve as an emergency operations center, and a three-story training tower, which is used to conduct crew training exercises.
The building is equipped with an emergency generator to maintain facility operations in the event of power failure. Designed to withstand wind loads of 155 mph and Level “E” Missile Enhanced Protection, as required by the Florida Building Code 2017 requirements for essential facilities. Even though the building will not pursue the LEED certification, it has been designed with the highest energy efficiency coefficients for glazing system, lighting, and other envelope components.
