(WASHINGTON, DC) – Mayor Bowser today celebrated the grand opening of Engine Company 22 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at The Parks at Walter Reed in Ward 4. Engine Company 22 is the third new fire station built during the Bowser Administration, and the second building to open at the redevelopment of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The station will be the new home of Engine 22, Truck 11, and Ambulance 22.
“Engine Company 22 was our first groundbreaking at The Parks at Walter Reed, and, today, we are proud to deliver this tremendous facility to the men and women at FEMS and to the community,” said Mayor Bowser. “The Parks at Walter Reed is one of the most impressive examples of residents and government collaborating on a project that will meet the needs of Washingtonians for generations to come. Together, we are building a safer, stronger DC.”
Originally constructed in 1892 at 5760 Georgia Avenue, NW and now located at 6825 Georgia Avenue, NW, Engine 22 was built on the site of the former Walter Reed Building 18.
“Securing this property for Engine 22 was the first action we took in the redevelopment of the Walter Reed community,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner. “We made this a priority knowing it was an important delivery for Ward 4 and for the brave men and women of DC FEMS that serve this community. Engine 22 will be a cornerstone as the revitalization of the upper Georgia Avenue, NW corridor continues around Walter Reed.”
“This beautiful, state-of-the-art building replaces a firehouse that has served the community since 1898, and it will now provide the modern amenities and comfort the men and women who call it their second home deserve,” said DC FEMS Chief Gregory Dean.
The new $13.1 million Engine Company 22 features:
- underground parking facilities for personnel;
- a vegetated green roof;
- a community room for neighborhood use;
- four large apparatus bays;
- sleeping and living quarters, a spacious sitting area, fitness areas, and a full service kitchen; and
- administrative, training, and apparatus bay support and vehicle maintenance areas.
Additionally, Engine 22 includes a more intuitive floor plan that will improve internal response times by making it easier for personnel to reach an apparatus to depart for emergencies. The facility is also eco-friendly and energy efficient and designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification.
“This investment represents a major step forward for Ward 4 public safety and the redevelopment of Walter Reed,” said Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd. “I commend Mayor Bowser and her administration for prioritizing the completion of Engine Company 22, which will significantly improve fire and emergency medical services response times in neighborhoods across the Northern part of the District. This world-class facility will make an excellent addition to our FEMS Department and ward.”
“Engine Company 22 was a very exciting project for DGS,” said Department of General Service Director Greer Gillis. “This project marked our first new, ground-up construction, of a stand-alone fire station for FEMS. Engine 22 will not only improve the well-being of our city’s first responders, but also the health and safety of the Upper Georgia Avenue corridor and surrounding communities.”
The Walter Reed development project is the result of a successful community-driven process led by then-Councilmember Bowser and now by Mayor Bowser. The Parks at Walter Reed will have 3.1 million square feet of residential, office, and retail space that will generate 5,000 jobs, 2,100 units of housing, 432 of which will be affordable, and nearly $1 billion in tax generated revenue over 30 years. Throughout the planning process, which began in 2009, the District and its partners convened over 100 public meetings, and the Parks at Walter Reed will be phased over a 10-15 year period.
The Mayor was joined by Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner, Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief Gregory Dean, and Department of General Services Director Greer Gillis.