By Tatum Hearn
As design work for the future Fire Station No. 2 continues, the City of Boerne is making sure two key components of the new building are front and center: environmental responsibility and sustainability.
Architectural firm Hoefer Welker recently began hosting eco-charrettes that allowed for an important milestone to be achieved in the design plans, with meetings being held on June 28 and July 9-11.
A charrette is an intense planning period or meeting where architectural planners come together to harness the talents and energies of all interested parties to create and support a unified plan.
“By having everyone at the table we can ensure a truly collaborative design process is part of Fire Station No. 2,” Fire Chief Manny Casarez said. “We are committed to designing our next facility to be an example of responsible building in the 21st century.”
Learn more about Fire Station No. 2.
At the brainstorming events, representatives from the City Council, City Manager’s Office, Boerne Fire Department, Engineering and Mobility, Planning, and Utilities departments participated to ensure alignment and address potential concerns.
The meetings were a crucial part in the design process as they provided specifics and dove into sustainability initiatives that will be included.
Those topics of conversation included One Water, HVAC systems, rainwater capture, solar options, smart landscaping, eco-friendly and energy-efficient materials, and lighting.
“The planning for Fire Station No. 2 has been a multi-year process,” City Manager Ben Thatcher said. “To see how our Unified Development Code, Low Impact Development, and other sustainability requirements can work and be incorporated into a modern fire station is very exciting.”
The conversations will help the firm prioritize the City of Boerne’s vision and to help set model standards for future City buildings.
Once designs are fully completed, there will be a two-month bidding process that will determine who the City will hire as the construction firm. After a selection is made, the estimated time frame for completion will be 12 months with a targeted opening in early 2026.
The new fire station will be located on Esperanza Boulevard just off Highway 46 and will serve the eastern portion of the service area.
