Cornerstone of the Community

MELVILLE, NY- The celebration of the groundbreaking occurred at the construction site for the new Setauket Fire Department. H2M’s Studio Director Danny Tanzi and Project Designer Jess Freitag are the architects behind the project, along with Mike Reed of Elite Construction Management of NY, and District Manager David Sterne. Several influential people for the Setauket community were present at the groundbreaking ceremony. The Town of Brookhaven’s Supervisor Ed Romaine, Councilwoman Valerie M. Cartright, Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn and State Assemblyman Steven Englebright were on site for the event. H2M is extremely excited for the start of this project, and the estimated time of completion is a year and a half.

H2M’s design of the fire department will provide a safe and efficient means of emergency response, add much-needed square footage, and create an overall “greener” firehouse. The fire department’s current aesthetics, which the community publicly expressed an interest in preserving, will be maintained as part of the new proposal; this includes the current “downtown” feel of the area and a softened corner of Old Town Road and Route 25A. The project will be funded with a 25-year tax-exempt municipal bond, which spreads the payments out and lowers the annual tax impact on residents. Two previous proposals for renovation and expansion were defeated by voters in 2005 and 2008, making this an especially significant achievement. The new design will total 25,950 square feet including 5,000 existing square feet for renovation. The completed facility will feature additional and properly sized apparatus bays, improved access for all responders, a meeting room, training room, and adequate administrative and storage spaces.

With H2M’s eye towards sustainability, the project will incorporate the use of recycled materials, and finishes will be chosen with the goal of minimizing VOCs and other contaminants that may negatively impact the environment and building occupants. We will be looking to implement solar hot water for the building, numerous infrastructure elements like smart control systems, and highly efficient mechanical and electrical systems to minimize operating costs.

H2M’s design puts the community of Setauket in focus with a semi-public space, a corner plaza which will be the centerpiece of the community. The Fire Department is already set on a historic intersection, and the design of the corner plaza is made so that the community of Setauket can enjoy the space for parades, memorials and other community events. H2M and the community of Setauket worked hand in hand to bring this design to life, and H2M is very proud to be a part of this fantastic project!