Buchart Horn’s work with Hampden Township on this project was organized in three phases.
The first phase included design of a new Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the Township’s Highway Department, for which we provided architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering. The building is approximately 16,000 SF and includes four vehicle maintenance bays; an overhead crane; flammable fluid storage; tire storage; tool/parts storage; a drive-through wash bay; and workers’ lunch room, locker room, and wash/rest rooms. BH worked closely with the end users of the building to incorporate specific equipment as well as specialized design for the work stations.
The second phase was the construction of a new Emergency Services Building (ESB North). Designed to replace the 50-year-old Good Hope Fire Station, the $4.5-million ESB North provided improved fire and ambulance services to the Township’s rapidly growing northern sections, as well as to accidents on nearby I-81. The new one-story facility included five drive-through fire equipment bays, an EMS section, a public multi-purpose room with a kitchen, an emergency operations center, dormitory rooms, a fitness area, and space to store and display historic fire company artifacts.
Building placement on the site and vehicular circulation were carefully considered. Both the site and the new building were zoned to separate public and emergency circulation and functions. The building is partitioned into discrete Medic, Fire, and Public areas and arranged based on their relationships to one other and the need for efficient site circulation. The form of the 25,000-SF building is shaped by the needs and relationship of the building’s functions as well as a desire to create a simple but memorable landmark for this area of the Township.
The third phase was renovation of spaces in Township facilities made vacant by moves to new or renovated facilities. The expansion and modernization of the Township’s Police Department facility gave officers a new generation of technology to fight crime.
The first floor facilities included a state-of-the-art evidence processing lab, an interrogation room with digital audio and video recording equipment, a new reception area, a training room, a filing room, and a conference/resource room. In addition, the second floor squad room has been equipped with new work stations for the 24-person force and special security readers were added to the armory, evidence room, and evidence processing lab.
Architecture
