Station 38 ushers in a new era

By Anna Lockhart.  

This California fire station is tiny, but mighty! 

Nestled in a compact corner lot in what is now the city center of Folsom, California, is Fire Station 38, a station originally built with the intention of serving a much smaller population. Back in the 1980s, when it was originally commissioned and built, Station 38 was situated on what was then the outskirts of a minor residential area. Yet, Folsom has seen a population boom in recent years, particularly in the last decade, and the needs of the area have significantly grown beyond the single-story station’s capacities.  

The start of the renovation project was a necessity — the city needing to find the best solution to retain what they could of the original structure and find clever ways to upgrade and expand it within the limitations of the small land plot. The solution: build upwards where they can and optimize all other areas for maximum efficiency and living quality.  

The project included the addition of a new two-story wing, complete refreshers of the fire crew’s living quarters, offices and utility rooms as well as updating all interior finishes. This upgrade and refresh took the small, old station from 3,058 square feet to 4,525 square feet of usable, modern space. The most notable and visually impressive change is the station’s new exterior.  

Equipped with a sturdy, sleek metal roof designed to last decades to come and a modern gray paint job to complement the new metal and rock exterior siding, Station 38 has brought major curb appeal to Folsom’s city center. Featuring the T6-A Wall panels from Metal Sales, Station 38 is sure to stand out for many years to come, making the most of their tiny but mighty location!  

To learn more about Station 38’s new look, check out the Metal Sales case study.

Image source: Calpo Hom & Dong Architects | Rudy Calpo Photography