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Sandy Springs details designs, schedule and schematic pricing for three fire stations and logistics hub
Summary
City staff showed a 3D walkthrough of the planned Fire Station 4 and described layouts, safety systems, community use of classroom space, a logistics building that can serve as a warming center, and schematic pricing that staff say is within the current $38.48 million capital allocation.
Chief Sanders and the city’s design team presented a 3‑D walkthrough of the planned Fire Station 4 and an associated logistics building to the Sandy Springs City Council on May 5, 2026, outlining interior layouts, health‑and‑safety systems and an overall schedule that would put construction starts in October and project completions by December of next year.
The presentation emphasized operational features intended to improve response times and firefighter welfare: a daytime lounge located nearer the apparatus than previous designs so crews can respond more quickly; individual showers and five private bathrooms instead of a group‑shower arrangement; touchdown workstations for reports and training; and an upgraded ventilation and alerting system designed to isolate diesel exhaust and wake only necessary personnel for a given call. “It’s not a Taj Mahal by any means, but it is a quality facility for those that are going to live and work there,” Chief Sanders said during the walkthrough.
Staff also described the logistics building behind the main station. The building will contain classrooms that the public can reserve, storage racks to house reserve apparatus and parts, and space for light maintenance (oil changes and brake work by a third‑party vendor). Staff said the logistics building will not host live‑fire training burns and that it doubles as a planned winter warming center and temporary shelter in emergency events.
Engineering details presented by project engineer John Pickkins noted the site drops about 30 feet from the logistics building to a creek. The design calls for a stormwater management system of ponds to mitigate runoff and meet required water‑quality capture. Chief Sanders said the design preserves a protected buffer that contains five small streams and pledged the city would not encroach into that area.
Schematic pricing and budget allocations were reviewed: the city’s available capital for the three projects is $38,477,305, with current allocations of $19,515,385 for Station 4, $16,363,200 for Station 1 and $2,598,000 for Station 3. Staff reported approximately $1.2 million in suggested value‑engineering savings already identified and said contingencies are expected to shrink as the design advances toward guaranteed maximum price (GMP) negotiations. The team plans a neighborhood meeting on Station 4 in June and additional design milestones in July and September, with 100% construction documents and GMP presented to the Public Facilities Authority in mid‑September.
Councilmembers asked about gender accommodations in locker and dorm spaces; Chief Sanders said gear will be stored in a shared locker room while dorms and individual toilets provide privacy. Councilmembers also asked whether a police precinct would be included; staff said initial plans for a small precinct addition were removed for budget reasons, though police will have controlled access to fueling at the site.
Next steps: staff will finalize design drawings, continue value engineering with the contractor, schedule neighborhood outreach and return with required documents and pricing at subsequent council briefings and PFA review.
