Howard County officials outline $18 million plan to convert Ellicott City armory and propose new fire stations

Howard County fire officials presented an FY27 capital program that includes converting the Ellicott City armory into a combined fire headquarters and logistics facility and proposed a new station to address growing call volumes in western Ellicott City and nearby communities. A Fire Department representative told the council they have “developed a feasible plan to convert the site to both a fire headquarters and a logistics facility, with an estimated total cost of approximately $18,000,000.”

The presentation said the project is divided into two phases: a Phase 1 headquarters build (estimated at about $5.9 million) they hope to complete by late summer 2028 to enable the department to move out of its lease at Marysville, with a second phase to follow for logistics capacity. The department also described five ongoing projects and one new FY27 proposal, including Station 15 (land transferred by the Board of Education), Station 7 feasibility and possible reconstruction at the existing Banneker site, and a land‑acquisition-only request for Station 16 to improve coverage in the western quarter of the county.

Council members pressed for timelines and design priorities for Station 7. Council member Young sought to preserve architectural features and staff amenities, noting Station 7 is one of Columbia’s oldest stations and asked for a design that respects that history. Fire staff said they are conducting a feasibility study that evaluates reconstruction on the current site to avoid land-acquisition costs and to maintain valued design elements.

Members also expressed concern about a “donut hole” in emergency coverage around Folly Quarter and Turf Valley. Fire staff said Station 17 and long‑term plans include those areas but acknowledged that siting constraints and limited parcels make placement of a full new station difficult; they said alternatives such as targeted medic capacity or other stopgap measures could be discussed, although the department’s preference is for a full station to provide both EMS and fire suppression.

On volunteer partnerships and facility condition, staff said systemic improvement projects include coordination with volunteer companies and cited recent work such as bathroom refreshes and space-allocation adjustments. Regarding rural fire protection, the department reported 40 operational water tanks, three nearing acceptance testing next week (bringing total to about 43), and four additional tanks planned for FY27. Unit costs were described in the presentation as roughly $330,000–$340,000 per tank and current budgeting anticipates continuing the multiyear rollout.

The council did not take formal action at the session; discussion closed with members thanking the department and asking staff to return with more detailed timelines and cost breakdowns for specific station projects.