Cape Girardeau Fire Station No. 4 Ready To Serve
Penzel Construction is proud to announce the completion of the brand new Fire Station No. 4 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
A dedication ceremony was held on December 1, 2017 for the $3.4 million fire station, located in the Laurel Grove neighborhood, serves the northwest quadrant of the City of Cape Girardeau and was built to replace a smaller fire station that was constructed more than 40 years ago.
A larger station was needed in part by growth in the city. In addition to protecting the increasing number of commercial and residential developments, the station also serves much of Interstate 55 that passes through the city and responds through an automatic-aid agreement to all incidents in Cape Girardeau County involving potential rescues and extrications.
The former Fire Station No. 4 was the last of the quaint neighborhood fire houses in Cape Girardeau. Once a relatively quiet station when it opened in 1974, growth in the area led to an increase in its run volume that matched or exceeded that of Stations No. 2 and No. 3.
As is the case with most construction projects, there were some challenges. Handling the necessary preconstruction site accommodations added about 60 days to our project timeline. In fact, the job site was situated on what could be considered a small quarry that required approximately 50 truckloads of rock be removed from the site before building could begin. Once the scope of the rock excavation was determined and completed, construction began under the supervision of Penzel’s Project Superintendent David Mirgeaux.
Our design-build services were perfect for this project. Assisted by Dille Traxel Architects of Cape Girardeau as lead architect and FGM Architects out of St. Louis as the supporting architect, we created a plan. The new fire station features an architectural design that blends in with the surrounding neighborhood and its buildings. Its complementary design, featuring a low profile and shingled roof, is a nod to the historic residential streetscape style of the surrounding homes. Complementary exterior finishes include brick, block, and Hardie board siding.
In the apparatus bay, we installed an insulated wall panel system as a ceiling—an unconventional approach. The Penzel team has used this material before for exterior wall applications, but had never considered it for interior installation. The City of Cape Girardeau was looking for an alternative to a traditional drop-ceiling, which can be easily soiled and damaged.
“This was an idea Phil Penzel came up with as a response to the client wanting a surface that would look neater and cleaner,” notes Travis Roth, Project Manager. “It not only provided additional R-value, but because we installed it to match the slope of the roof, the client ended up gaining extra height in the apparatus bay. Now they can fully tilt their fire engine cabs forward and work on them inside the facility.”
Scott Meyer, Cape Girardeau’s City Manager, aptly describes the level of ownership Penzel brings to each and every design-build project. “From the very beginning, they worked closely with our team of firefighters who will live and work there. The end product was something that we are proud of and our citizens can know they got a quality product within the monies we had budgeted. Penzel found solutions to problems, not excuses, throughout the entire design-build process. Whether it was a budget issue, construction problem or operational challenge, Penzel was quick to find solutions and implement them. At the end of the day, I also think it was a building that Penzel was proud to drive by and call one of their finest projects as well.”
Watch time-lapse video of the construction of Fire Station No. 4 here.
The entire team at Penzel Construction is not only proud of its work on this municipal project, but also its longstanding relationship with the City of Cape Girardeau. The Cape Girardeau City Council unanimously selected us as the design-build contractor for the project, a vote of confidence for our company and the many construction projects for the City of Cape Girardeau that we have completed over the years.
Other recent design-build projects we have built for the city have included the new Cape Girardeau Sportsplex, a 121,000-square-foot world-class facility located at North Kingshighway and I-55. The Sportsplex offers six regulation basketball courts that convert into 12 volleyball courts, two indoor collegiate soccer fields, and a host of other sports-related community amenities. A pioneer in design-build, our team has a track record and decades of experience in design-build construction that dates back to 1962.
“The design-build delivery method offered so many advantages: a single contract; the power of the team; better cost-control, and faster turn-around,” notes Phil Penzel. “Even with the unexpected site work, this method allowed the strength and expertise of our team to shine. It was easy to make adjustments and avoid wasted time.”
Despite the “rocky road adventure” at the start, all parties are pleased that a new, modern, and aesthetically pleasing fire station has been built to serving the present and future needs of the City of Cape Girardeau.
ABOUT PENZEL CONSTRUCTION
At Penzel, we are always innovating and finding ways to help our clients achieve their goals—through design-build construction delivery systems, competent trained employees, and state-of-the-art equipment and techniques.
We have come a long way in the last century and we intend to be here doing what we do best for many decades to come.
