RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Along Blue Heron Boulevard and Congress Avenue, construction is officially underway for a new fire station in Riviera Beach.
On Tuesday, City leaders broke ground on a $17 million fire house that is expected to be up and running by the end of next year.
The new station will be one of the most state-of-the-art fire stations in the county if not the state, Fire Chief John Curd said. “Design elements have been incorporated to reduce firefighters' exposure to carcinogens and reduce the psychological and physiological effects associated with the job,” he said.
The two-story, 31,000 square-foot, cutting-edge facility will feature new technology and equipment that provides energy efficiency, promotes the health and safety of fire personnel while providing temporary space for the Emergency Operations Center, and a training center. It will also feature the city’s first fire tower that will be used for training.
Video: Fire Station 88 Groundbreaking 🚒🚨 pic.twitter.com/iEMOY3TgoJ
— City of Riviera Beach, FL. (@Rivierabch) February 15, 2022
“It’s going to allow our firefighters to constantly train and maintain a state of readiness where we don’t have to remain dependent on some of the other training facilities throughout the county,” said Curd.
It will replace the original 88 station that was built in 1972. Two years ago, the city was forced to tear it down due to air quality issues and structural concerns. Since then firefighters have been temporarily working out of the city’s Public's Works Department to help keep response times low.
“This facility will serve as a beacon of the great things and great spaces that we collectively will create as we re-imagine Riviera Beach. This modern facility will have some of the most unique elements in Palm Beach County and will infuse both public art while celebrating the traditions prevalent in the fire service that our first responders and community can be proud of,” City Manager Jonathan Evans said. “This facility is the largest municipal public facility the city has constructed in a generation, and it is merely a starting point and a complement to the new beautiful public library and our Urban Farm. Great things are certainly on the horizon of Riviera Beach.”
Delray Beach-based Kaufman Lynn Construction will be designing and building the facility, which is expected to be completed in 13 to 16 months.