A four-bay city of Mesa fire station is to be constructed on 14 acres west of Val Vista Drive on the north side of McDowell Road.
The look and landscaping for Fire Station No. 223 will be discussed and voted on by the Mesa Design Review Board at a 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, meeting in the lower council chambers, 57 E. First St.
The fire station will be built adjacent to a city of Mesa water-treatment plant, Staff Planner Joshua Grandlienard said during the board’s July 9 meeting.
“Vehicle access to the site is provided off of two locations — three including the emergency access for McDowell; and a total of 26 parking spaces provided on-site,” he said. “Here’s the proposed landscape plan. It includes smooth cascalote, little leaf palo verde, desert willow, ironwoods and mesquites.”
Pearlman Architects is the applicant. The city of Mesa is the owner.
The new Fire Station No. 223 will be at 3310 E. McDowell Road on 3.18 acres of a 13.67-acre parcel, according to a written project narrative from Pearlman Architects.
The single-level, approximately 13,100-square-foot fire station includes four apparatus bays, 10 dorms, staff bathrooms, dining, kitchen, day room, firefighter’s crew office, captains offices, laundry, EMS storage, workshop, turn-out room, decon room, job task conditioning room, miscellaneous storage rooms, and general building support areas such as janitor, IT, electrical, mechanical, and fire riser rooms. It also has an exterior covered patio and covered entries, it states.
“The exterior architectural style is based on existing Mesa Fire Station 221. The proposed design emphasizes simple massing and detailing; incorporating exposed, textured masonry with metal panels at select areas. Low slung roof lines at public entry and over apparatus bays ensures that the scale of the station will fit in with the existing building typology,” according to the narrative.
The landscape at the street frontage will be desert planting from the approved city of Mesa standards. Retention is proposed along the perimeter of the site.
The all-volunteer Mesa Design Review Board is unique in that its composition is set by the zoning ordinance to include two architects; two from other design professions such as landscape architecture, engineering, urban planning, interior design or other design-related background; one contractor or developer; and two residents, according to the city’s website.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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