New Suffield Fire Station Recommended

SUFFIELD, CT — A town commission has recommended building a new fire station on Suffield’s Annex property instead of renovating or replacing the department’s existing headquarters.

The Permanent Building Commission voted unanimously Aug. 20 to move forward with the Annex site and directed Tecton Architects and Colliers to continue developing the plans, according to meeting minutes.

The commission had been considering three possibilities: constructing a station at the Annex property, renovating and expanding the existing station or demolishing the current building and replacing it on the same site.

Fire officials favored the Annex property because the existing station could remain open during construction. The new location would also provide better space for fire trucks and leave room for the department’s future needs.

Test borings found no underground utilities or other major subsurface problems at the proposed site. Although moisture was found about five to seven feet below the surface, the seasonal water table was generally deeper and the soil was considered suitable for development.

The property’s slope will require additional attention during grading, but the project team said a conventional foundation and slab construction appear feasible.

The town’s project page lists an estimated budget of about $15.72 million for an 11,860-square-foot station. An expanded 13,710-square-foot version with additional support and training space is estimated at $17.92 million.

The recommendation does not authorize construction. The proposal must still go through the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance before heading to voters. The town is targeting a referendum in spring 2027.

Fire Station 1, located at 73 Mountain Road, was built in the early 1960s and has been identified as one of Suffield’s highest-priority municipal building projects.

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