Title
Wythe Fire Station Adaptive Reuse Options
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
The purpose of this briefing is to seek City Council's direction regarding the future use of the former Wythe Fire Station #3 property located on the Kecoughtan Road. The former fire station served the Wythe area from 1944 to 2025 and consists of three parcels totaling approximately 1.11 acres with an existing 7,856 square foot structure and surface parking.
The future of this site has been contemplated for many years through prior planning and capital improvement efforts. The 2005 Kecoughtan Road Corridor Master Plan recommended relocation of the fire station and envisioned the area as part of a broader public space, traffic circle and corridor enhancement concept. Subsequent Capital Improvement Plan materials and City Council briefings addressed the need to replace the aging station due to facility limitations, including the need to accommodate modern fire apparatus and improve service coverage.
The new Wythe Fire Station #3 opened in 2025 creating the need for Council direction regarding the disposition and future use of the former fire station site.
Discussion:
Staff has identified three primary options for Council consideration: Implement the recommendations in the 2005 Kecoughtan Road Corridor Master Plan; Demolish the building and preserve the site as green space; or Issue a Request for Interest/Request for Proposals for the adaptive reuse of the building and site.
Adaptive reuse allows the City to test private-sector or community interest in preserving and re-purposing the building while evaluating public benefit, financial feasibility, design quality, economic impact and alignment with City plans and policies. Alternatively, demolition and green space preservation removes the aging structure and provides an opportunity to better integrate the site with nearby public recreational assets. Implementation of the 2005 Master Plan more directly follows the historical corridor vision though certain surrounding conditions have changed since adoption of the plan.
Impact:
This item relates to prior City planning efforts, including the Kecoughtan Road Corridor Master Plan, as well as City Council priorities related to neighborhood quality, public safety, fiscal stewardship, redevelopment and thoughtful reuse of public assets. The requested direction will help determine if the City should continue implementation of the adopted Kecoughtan Corridor Master Plan, preserve the site for public/open green space, or pursue adaptive reuse of the site.
Recommendation:
Staff recommends City Council provide direction on a course of action to for the former Wythe Fire Station site to include implementing the adopted Kecoughtan Corridor Master Plan, preserving the site for public/open green space, or issuing a Request for Interest/Request for Proposals for the adaptive reuse of the building and site.
Body
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