The project: The project included renovating the landmarked FDNY Engine Company 74 fire house apparatus bay, reprogramming the cellar, replacing the kitchen and generator, and the preserving the historic exterior.

The goal: Modernize the fire station to support the department’s mission without disrupting the company’s history and culture.

Challenge: Designed for horses, yet required to accommodate a modern fire apparatus, the floor had been supported by temporary columns that were no longer sustainable, necessitating the installation of a new slab. The structural stability of the entire building relies on the steel framing below the apparatus floor. Solution: Replacement of the beams was sequenced to prevent any single weak point occurring where the building could fall in on itself. The structural system was altered by removing the center support beams to expand the usable clear-space in the cellar, which required altering the basis by which the beams worked in concert with the load-bearing walls. Lastly, the existing beam pockets in the exterior walls were enlarged and reinforced without negatively impacting the structural stability of the load-bearing walls or disturbing the upper floors.

Challenge: The narrow, 25-foot-wide footprint. Solution: A tight design that accommodated all of the new infrastructure, including a new standby generator.

Challenge: Reprogramming the cellar to fit modern infrastructure. Solution: Utilities were overhauled to meet modern demands, including new electrical, gas, and water systems, all routed through new points of entry and a reprogrammed cellar, which was redesigned to preserve the code-required headspace and included repairing cracks and defects by increasing the thickness of the floor slab. These upgrades were executed around legacy HVAC and structural systems.

Challenge: No available openings for the combustion air duct on three sides of the building, and installation on the historic façade was prohibited by landmark regulations. Solution: The design extended the combustion air duct through the abandoned hose tower to the roof.

Challenge: Complying with modern codes. Solution: The new backup generator had to meet NFPA code and the window replacement had to be approved by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Challenge: Maintaining the historic conditions and memorials set up by the fire department. Solution: The design team took great care to minimize disruption to the rest of the building during construction and preserved the façade with a deep respect for the company’s history.

The outcome: The design was executed with such precision and sensitivity to the building’s historic character that it received immediate approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission without comments. The successful integration of modern upgrades within a historic context, along with the team’s responsiveness and adaptability, led to results that went beyond the owner’s initial expectations.