A New Firehouse Proposed for Brewster

The original firehouse, which has been expanded and updated, was built in 1941. This is a postcard courtesy of the Southeast Historian’s Office.

By Holly Crocco

The Brewster Volunteer Fire Department may be asking the public later this year to approve the construction of a new firehouse – a request that Southeast Town Supervisor Nick Durante says is not only reasonable, but worthy.

“It’s a well-needed firehouse,” he said of the proposal, during the April 17 Southeast Town Board meeting. “I was lucky enough to get a tour (of the existing firehouse) a couple of months ago. The floor is doing some interesting stuff downstairs. The stairs are as steep as the Eiffle Tower. It’s pretty old in there.”

Russell Davidson of KG+D Architects of Mount Kisco agreed. “The  building is suffering,” he explained.

While the department put together a “wish list” of what it would like the building to include, it ended up with an “essential list,” according to Davidson.

“So this is not the Taj Hahal, this is the minimal they need to continue to provide the level of service that Brewster needs,” he said.

Architects and engineers first looked into renovating and expanding the current firehouse, which they determined would be difficult.

According to Davidson, the original firehouse was built in 1941. “Fire trucks are bigger, wider, taller and heavier,” he said, noting that the current building just can’t handle the size and weight of today’s firefighting vehicles. “Those three (garage) bays that were built in 1941 are pretty much the same now as they were back then.”

The bays being too small and too short are only one problem.

“Remarkably, there are several fire code issues with the firehouse, including lack of fire separation, (and) a combustible fire system,” said Davidson. “Basically the floor under the original apparatus bay has failed… It’s shored up with temporary steel. It’s still safe, but it’s not a permanent solution.”

In addition, since passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, the current building is out of compliance when it comes to doorways, stairs, toilet rooms, and elevator facilities.

There is also a lack of mechanical ventilation throughout the building, the fire alarm system needs replacement, and there’s no separation of contaminated and clean areas, a lack of training space, no support rooms for emergency medical professionals, and inadequate parking.

With six major development projects in the works in the village – including a large distribution center, a multi-sport complex, revitalization of the village, and more – the annual call volume has increased 4 to 16 percent.

In 2024, the volunteer department responded to 3,351 total calls, including 1,002 fire runs (a 9.2 percent increase), and 2,349 EMS runs (also a 9.2 percent increase).

“They do an amazing job, but this facility is not going to be able to support them now or in the future,” said Davidson.

While discussions on either renovating or building a new firehouse began in 2018, Davidson said “everything changed when the adjacent land became available, because that made the replacement really pretty viable.”

The property he is referring to is Markel Park, which is a town park located on the adjacent land to the north.

According to Davidson, the new firehouse would be built on a southern portion of the park property and would not impact parking or the baseball field. “It actually is going to provide more parking for when the baseball field is in full use, so it’s going to be a  shared arrangement,” he said.

A driveway would go all the way around the building, with parking near the apparatus bay for quick access by fire department members, and a public entrance to the park on the upper hill located at the front of the property.

Davidson explained that renovating the current building would cost three-fourths of the total price to build new, and require more financing.

“A new building can be financed over 30 years, but a renovation can only be financed over 15 years,” he said. “So even though the costs are lower – the initial costs, the finance costs would have a greater impact to renovate and expand.”

The proposed new, state-of-the-art building is expected to last 75 to 100 years, be non-combustible, fully sprinklered, have eight properly sized apparatus bays, and safe separation of hot zones for contaminated personal protective equipment, warm zones for cleaned equipment, and cold zones for support areas. It would also have a training space for bailout drills and fitness drills, classrooms, and be fully ADA-accessible.

In addition, it would keep the department in the heart of the village.

Davidson said the new building would be a conventional, red-brick firehouse with bays and an apron facing Main Street. “It’s a building that’s going to fit in Brewster but still look like it was built in 2026,” he said.

It’s a two-story, split-level structure (due to the sloping property), with apparatus bays that can handle the largest fire trucks made today. “It’s going to be a forever facility,” said Davidson.

Plans include a room for turnout gear, a space for dispatch and radio operators, support facilities, a “day room” where firefighters and EMS await calls, a lobby, meeting room, classrooms, and an assembly space that is about same size as what currently exists. Upstairs there will also be classrooms and offices, a place for firefighters to sleep, a fitness center, IT space, and a commissioner’s room.

“This is right-sized for Brewster and has the essential facilities they need to continue to serve the community,” said Davidson.

Construction of the new building would take place while the department stays in operation out of the current firehouse. Once the move to the new building is complete, the old building will be demolished.

Davidson said the proposed tax impact would equate to $270 to $310 per year for a home valued at $500,000.

The department is in the process of collecting feedback from the community, which will be used to refine the proposal. State environmental quality review procedures will need to be completed, and then the project would go out for a public referendum. If it’s approved, the site plan process may begin.

If the public OKs the plan and funding is approved by the middle of this year, Davidson said it could take up to a year and a half to complete the design phase with all the necessary approvals, and then up to two years to complete construction. 

“I’ve been a resident for 50 years and you guys deserve this,” said Durante. “You give a lot of your free time for us, and it’s got to be kind of miserable in a building that’s that old… You have my backing. Hopefully the rest of the town feels it too.”