The Station at Potomac Yard was the first newly constructed fire station in the United States to combine a fire station, affordable housing and retail together in a single building. The project was also the first fire station to be built in Alexandria, Virginia in over 30 years as well as the first civic building established in Potomac Yard. The project consisted of a four-bay fire station, 20 workforce homes, 44 affordable homes, a community meeting room, and neighborhood retail space.
christopher consultants provided civil engineering, surveying and land planning services to design and construct the infrastructure for this new fire station. After assisting in the entitlement of this project, christopher prepared the final engineering documents and survey construction services. Unique to this site was the need to build the building first and then develop the rest of the site, including a future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, around the facility.
The unique arrangement between the private developer and the public entities allowed the developer to fulfill its commitment to provide affordable housing and provide the City of Alexandria much needed work-force living space. This project is an excellent example of Smart Growth and “green” building practices. The ground level fire station is LEED Silver certified and the housing component won the Earthcraft Multifamily Project award. The structure is a model of sustainable design, construction and livability.
