Project Name: Jacksonville Fire Department Rehab and Addition
Location: Jacksonville, OR
Project Overview
S+B James Construction completed a comprehensive seismic retrofit and remodel of the Jacksonville Fire Station, including a second-story addition with modern residential quarters and a gym. The work transformed the station into a more resilient emergency-response facility while maintaining the character of one of Jacksonville’s important civic buildings.
Located within the Jacksonville Historic District (NHL #66000950), the fire station occupies the footprint of a mid-19th-century Chinese hotel. The project team had to balance Immediate Occupancy seismic requirements with preservation of the historic brick exterior, archaeological resources beneath the building, and an 82-foot Giant Sequoia located only six feet from the structure.
Challenge
The work combined structural, historic, archaeological, and environmental constraints within a compact site. Existing under-reinforced CMU walls, 1800s-era brick veneer, settlement conditions, and the loads associated with a new second story required substantial strengthening without compromising the building’s historic appearance.
The team needed a solution that would:
- Achieve Immediate Occupancy performance following a seismic event
- Correct settlement and support the new second-story addition
- Preserve the historic brick façade and district character
- Protect archaeological resources during drilling and excavation
- Avoid damaging the Giant Sequoia’s critical root zone
Solution
The structural approach included installing 103 driven pipe piles to support the existing foundation, correct settlement, increase bearing capacity for the second-story addition, and support the historic brick veneer walls.
New stud walls with plywood sheathing were added to reinforce the under-strength CMU walls and connected with masonry ties. Steel-frame drag beams were installed at the large bay doors, and the roof diaphragm was properly attached to the masonry walls to create a complete seismic load path.
The existing brick was kept standing as the building was upgraded, and new brick was sourced to match the original exterior. This allowed the addition and repaired areas to blend with the historic façade while meeting the requirements of the project’s preservation review.
Installation and Coordination
Preconstruction included investigative demolition and archaeological oversight during geotechnical drilling. Because the station overlaps the footprint of a former Chinese hotel shown on the 1884 Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, the work required close coordination with the Historic & Architectural Review Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, and the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology.
No significant archaeological artifacts were discovered beneath the existing structure. Archaeological monitoring continued during construction around the proposed earthquake-retrofit work, with only a glass bottle identified. The monitoring process ensured that any discoveries were appropriately documented while allowing the rehabilitation work to proceed in a controlled manner.
Protecting the Giant Sequoia required an equally deliberate approach. A vacuum truck was used to remove soil between the tree trunk and the building stem wall, exposing the root system without aggressive excavation. Minimal root cutting and careful detailing supported a new sidewalk and building improvements while preserving the tree’s critical root zone.
Results
The completed rehabilitation helped the project team:
- Upgrade the building to Immediate Occupancy seismic performance
- Preserve the historic masonry façade and compatible exterior appearance
- Protect archaeological resources through monitored investigation and construction
- Add second-floor living quarters and a gym to increase station capacity
- Preserve the 82-foot Giant Sequoia while completing adjacent improvements
The remodel also added an emergency generator, elevator, spiral firefighter slide, three overhead bay doors with an interlocked exhaust system, custom turnout lockers, an SCBA compressor, a turnout extractor, and new HVAC and electrical systems. Together, these improvements allow the station to serve as an emergency center during disasters.
Benefit to Owner
The City of Jacksonville received a modern, resilient public-safety facility without sacrificing the station’s historic identity. The seismic upgrades and new building systems improve emergency readiness, while the added residential quarters and gym enhance daily operations and firefighter comfort.
The project demonstrates how early investigation, agency coordination, and carefully selected construction methods can reconcile seismic safety, historic preservation, archaeology, and landmark-tree protection within a single complex rehabilitation.