Princeton Allots Funds For Conceptual Design Of Fire Department Headquarters

PRINCETON, NJ – On Monday Council adopted a resolution allocating funds for the conceptual design services for the Princeton Fire Department’s headquarters.

A sum of $58,800 was given to Baltimore-based architectural firm Manns Woodward Studios, Inc., which specializes in firehouse designs.

Mayor Mark Freda explained that the current firehouse was built in 1992, and has several deficiencies including roof leaks, outdated mechanical systems, and the need for ADA compliance.

Since first being built, the Municipality has added six full-time paid firefighters who are in the building 24 hours a day.

“Additionally, we recently took our fire inspectors and made them fire inspectors slash firefighters, so they now spend all their time in that firehouse. We hired a paid fire chief. We have a new paid fire official. They're all in a firehouse that was never designed for them all to be there,” Freda explained.

The Mayor noted that all the mechanical systems were past the end of life and the electrical system probably needs an upgrade if the Municipality does expand the building.

Councilman Leighton Newlin asked if spending $58,000 for a look at the next five years was short-sighted.

“If we're talking about smart growth, that maybe at a minimum, we would look at the next 10 years,” Newlin said.

Freda explained that the current volunteer membership is low and “hard to know what shape or form the fire department's going to be in more than five years from now,” hence the five-year study.

The council also addressed the need for climate resilience and the importance of not overburdening the volunteer ranks.

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