The Town of East Hartford CT is in the process of designing a new Fire Station 2.

The Town of East Hartford is in the process of designing a new Fire Station 2. 

Why? 

East Hartford needs to replace obsolete Fire Station 2. The building is approaching 100 years old, is not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, lacks gender-inclusive facilities, does not have a monitored fire alarm or sprinkler system, or have facilities compliant with National Fire Protection Association Standard 1500, Fire Department Occupational Health and Safety which addresses facility safety and cancer mitigation strategies.  

EHFD Station 2 was built in 1940 and serves the northernmost area of East Hartford.  Located at 1692 Main Street, Engine 2’s response district spans from Burnside Avenue north to South Windsor and is bordered east and west by the Connecticut River and Manchester. In 2018, the East Hartford Town Council purchased a vacant dwelling at 1710 Main Street with the intention of locating the future Fire Station 2 there.   

The present fire station responded to 1560 calls for service in 2025, making it one of the busiest fire apparatus in the town.  Paramedic 2, assigned to Engine 2, responded to almost 1000 calls for paramedic service.  The present configuration of the fire station prevents the placement of modern fire apparatus due to space constraints. There are several roof leaks. The building is not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and is not accessible to residents with disabilities.  Does not have a monitored fire alarm or sprinkler system.  Lacks gender-neutral facilities.  And does not have facilities compliant with National Fire Protection Association Standard 1500, Fire Department Occupational Health and Safety. 

What is the proposed solution? 

The department proposes to construct a modern, energy-efficient facility that has gender-neutral facilities as well as individual bunkrooms for privacy.  The station will also have state-of-the-art cancer mitigation systems to prevent firefighter exposure from diesel exhaust and cross-contamination of firefighting equipment after a fire.   

The Town of East Hartford continues to make steady progress on the design of the new Fire Station 2. The project formally began on July 1, 2025, when the architectural firm Tecton Architects was selected and contracted to lead the design effort. 

A Fire Station 2 Design Workgroup was subsequently established to guide the design process and ensure operational needs are fully incorporated. The workgroup includes representatives from the Fire Department, Department of Public Works, the Building Official’s office, and the Fire Marshal’s office. The workgroup continues to work with Tecton to refine the design and move toward shovel ready plans ready for construction bidding.

Schematic Site Plan
Exterior Elevations
Presentation Plans

FAQ

Where will the new firehouse be located? 
1718 Main Street and 40 Remington Road 

Who is doing the work?
The design phase of the project was awarded to Tecton Architects, an architecture, interior design and master planning firm with offices in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Though based in New England, their reach extends much further, with licenses to practice in nine states and strategic partnerships throughout the country. For more than 40 years, their specialty has been creating connections that last – a trait that has produced a diverse project portfolio spanning academic, public safety, corporate workplace, industrial, healthcare, community and mixed-use environments. 

Why Tecton? 
After review, evaluation, and discussion of the proposals, the committee unanimously agreed to select Tecton Architects of Hartford, CT (Tecton). The decision to select Tecton was based on their extensive public safety building design experience, client recommendations, and recent success with their design of the Town of Bloomfield's Fire Station 3.  

What has been funded so far, and by what means?
The design phase is fully funded at $736,400 from three sources: American Rescue Plan Act ($280,862), Bond funding (2024) $357,538 and National Development Impact Fund ($98,000)
Learn more about awarded Federal funding here.

What’s next?
Design updates are provided to the Public Building Commission at their regularly scheduled meeting. The town continues to seek federal and state grant funding for the project.   

How is this going to affect my tax dollars? 
Design phase: Funding was spread over three funding sources: Federal, State and Local drastically minimizing impact to local tax dollars.
Construction phase: The Town continues to seek Federal and State grant funding in an effort to contain any local impact.   

What comes next?
A report will be presented to the Public Building Commission at its next regularly scheduled meeting. See the Town's calendar of public meetings for date, time, location, and agenda.