Allentown presents feasibility study for combined fire, EMS and health center at Fourth and Turner

Allentown City Council on Monday heard a feasibility study proposing a new Allentown Life Safety and Wellness Center to house Central Fire and EMS and the Allentown Health Bureau in a combined facility at Fourth and Turner on county‑owned land.

“Allentown’s downtown fire department and EMS serve more than 125,000 plus city residents and visitors on a daily basis,” Chief Augusto said during the presentation, describing the existing Central Fire Station as the city’s “central hub.” Consultants told council the current Central Fire Station is more than 100 years old, was originally built as a car dealership, and is in “poor condition.”

The study, prepared by Alloy 5 with engineering partner CHA, recommends a two‑building complex connected by pedestrian bridges, about 65,000 square feet overall with capacity for roughly 65 staff, 10 apparatus bays facing Fourth Street and a 300‑space parking garage. Consultants estimated probable construction costs at $62 million to $65.5 million (costs in the study completed in 2024), with a bid‑year escalation range of roughly $67.8 million to $72.6 million for 2026–2028 start years. Presenters described a phased approach with the garage first so the county’s parking needs remain available during construction.

Why it matters: consultants and city officials said both existing sites — Central Fire Station and Alliance Hall, which houses the Allentown Health Bureau and nonprofit tenants — are functionally inadequate for modern public safety and public health work. The study emphasized safety, equity and access: compliance with NFPA guidance on station layout and decontamination workflows, ADA accessibility for the health bureau, separate locker/bedroom arrangements for staff, sufficient storage for bulky public‑health equipment, and room for training and community outreach.

Consultants noted operational details that drive the need: the Central Fire Station serves high call volume (the study reported 17,130 total unit responses attributed to the station and estimated “about 50 units responding every day”), stores large deliveries that must be carried up stairs, lacks adequate decontamination and segregation of “hot, warm and cool” zones, and does not have sprinklers or an elevator in parts of the building. Presenters documented mold, roof leaks, eroding masonry and cramped bunk and equipment storage that, they said, hamper daily operations.

Becca Rusnock, director of development for Alloy 5, summarized the proposal and site choice: “What we designed here is a facility that's a little over 65,000 square feet. It has room for 65 staff members with capacity for that to grow.” The team said it examined nine sites and selected the Fourth and Turner parcel, owned by Lehigh County, because it best met location criteria including proximity to downtown, adjacency to public transportation, room for parking and the ability to co‑locate fire/EMS and health services while minimizing residential impacts.

Design features presented include: a clear separation of fire/EMS apparatus and public health entrances, basement loading and storage for bulky public‑health deliveries (car seats, cribs), a parking garage set down the grade toward Jordan Creek to reduce visual impact, and a public plaza at the street corner for community outreach and training. The design includes 10 bays for quick deployment and two garage access points; presenters said one access point would likely serve county correctional staff and the other would serve fire and health occupants.

Cost and schedule: Alloy 5 and CHA provided a predesign cost range of $62 million to $65.5 million based on 2024 pricing and an escalated bid estimate between about $67.8 million and $72.6 million for 2026–2028 procurement. The team proposed an approval and detailed design phase of about 18 months followed by 24–36 months of construction, with the parking garage built first so the county can continue to provide spaces during work.

Council and administration response: Mayor’s and council representatives praised the presentation. “Presently, our firefighters and paramedics working out of central fire are not in the best position to succeed,” Merrill said during remarks after the presentation, urging investment in new facilities and saying the administration will continue to work with council on next steps.

No formal vote or ordinance was taken during the presentation; presenters asked council for feedback and signaled further engagement with planning staff, legal counsel and Lehigh County if the project proceeds to the next stages.

Next steps: the consultants recommended moving into design and land‑development review, coordinating with Lehigh County about use of the parking parcel, engaging the city planning office on floodplain and site approvals, and developing a financing strategy. Council members may consider the study and request follow‑up materials, cost breakdowns and funding options at a future meeting.