COJ Fire Station No. 10 Addition & Renovation

Established in 1927, City of Jacksonville’s (COJ) Fire Station 10, situated on McDuff Avenue in the Riverside neighborhood, has evolved into one of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s (JFRD) largest and most important stations. Recognized by the moniker “The Penitentiary,” it pays tribute to the many firefighters who have been assigned there. As one of the busiest Fire Stations in Jacksonville, Station 10 also oversees three other fire districts in JFRD’s second battalion. In addition to the grueling assignment, historically, many firefighters were appointed to this location as a preventative measure to keep them occupied and out of trouble. “Punished” firefighters who called Station 10 home began referring to their employee I.D. numbers as inmate numbers. To this day, many of the “inmates” remain proud of the assignment, and despite having completed multiple tours of duty, they are always willing and eager to return to their beloved Station 10.

The design-build team of Auld & White Constructors and LS3P (formerly ENB Architects) was retained by the City of Jacksonville to renovate and add to the historic fire station on McDuff Avenue in the Riverside neighborhood of Jacksonville. Updates included modifying the existing Southernmost building (1927) consisting of two apparatus bays that originally housed the Chief and Rescue vehicles. The space was converted into a blood pressure room, an office, and a day room for the firefighters. The space’s bay doors were replaced with impact-resistant fixed casement windows that created a historic aesthetic similar to that of the original construction. The existing Northern Building addition (1980’s) included two apparatus bays, which originally housed the pumper truck, ladder truck, existing Chief’s room, and existing bunkroom. The space (now the middle building) was converted into a smaller apparatus bay for the Chief and Rescue vehicles. The Chief’s room and bunkroom were also reconfigured and renovated, with Code-compliant bath areas added for both the Chief and Station 10’s firefighters. Finally, two new apparatus bays were constructed North of the existing buildings which provided drive-through access directly from a new driveway off land purchased on Forbes Street (making it safer for drivers on the busy street in front of it, McDuff Avenue). Additional support spaces include a bunker gear room, gear dryer system area, air cascade room (allowing high volumes of breathing air/cylinders to be stored), an extractor room (commercial grade laundry machine that is designed to remove soot and chemicals from soiled gear), and a lawn equipment room (for equipment previously housed in a storage shed).