Key points:
• Sandy Springs is gearing up to begin construction on three of its five fire stations, which are expected to be rebuilt or renovated by the end of 2027.
• The city is renovating Fire Station 3 on Raider Drive, relocating Fire Station 4 from inside Atlanta to south Sandy Springs, and rebuilding Fire Station 1 at Spalding and Roberts drives.
• Fire Chief Keith Sanders said his department and the project team are planning a community meeting this summer with the High Point neighborhood to review construction plans.
After issuing $50.5 million in debt last summer, the City of Sandy Springs is unveiling site plans, building designs, and a project schedule for its fire station overhaul.
When construction on three fire stations is completed around December 2027, Sandy Springs will have rebuilt or renovated all of its fire stations within the city within about five years.
The city’s bond issuance includes a new location for Fire Station 4 off Roswell Road, a rebuild of Fire Station 1 on Spalding Drive, and renovations to Fire Station 3 across from Riverwood International Charter School. Construction on stations 1 and 4 is expected to begin this October.
Fire Chief Keith Sanders showed the council a 3D walkthrough video of Fire Station 4, which is moving north from just inside the city of Atlanta at 4697 Wieuca Road to 5275 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.
Next steps and public outreach
Sanders said he is working with the city’s communications team to schedule a June meeting with the High Point neighborhood, including a planned backyard cookout, to discuss plans for Fire Station 4.
“So whatever we got to do to help them and give them the peace of mind that we’re very sensitive to what their concerns are,” Sanders said. “We’re committed to working well with them, and I believe they’ll be very excited once they see the station and what we’re going to put there.”
The Sandy Springs Public Facilities Authority purchased about 6.5 acres at 5275 Roswell Road last July for $10 million, paving the way for the relocation of Fire Station 4 within city limits. The Fire Department says the relocation will significantly enhance response capacity in that area, ultimately improving safety for both residents and visitors.
Council Member Mary Ford, who represents the High Point neighborhood in District 5, confirmed that the budget does not include a police precinct at Fire Station 4. With the property backing up to Beachland Drive and Green Hill Place, some neighbors are uneasy about the construction project.
John Pickens, a civil engineer working on the station’s design, said the plan is to leave the tree buffer behind the logistics building that includes a protected stream. His team has worked with Sandy Springs firefighters to design the facility’s layout.
“This is conceptual,” Pickens said. “We will have final renderings of what that will look like, and I can commit to you that we will have plenty of landscape that will be there to protect that area. You have my word on that.”
Recap of fire station overhaul
The city completed Fire Station 5 at Spalding Drive and Mount Vernon Road last July, providing the city’s panhandle region with its own four-person engine company and driving down response times. Fire Station 2 on Johnson Ferry Road opened in 2022, replacing the original building constructed in 1969.
Fire Station 1 at 1425 Spalding Drive was constructed in 1968, and the city says the building is now obsolete and in need of replacement. By this October, the city expects the temporary relocation of Fire Station 1 to 8615 Roswell Road to be complete.
Fire Station 3 along Raider Drive was constructed in 2002. New modifications to the facility include an addition to the existing apparatus bay, a three-story training stairway, and a decontamination room attached to the living quarters.
According to city documents, the available budget for all three fire stations is around $38.5 million. While the overhaul’s final cost is unknown, the city is projecting an $860,000 shortfall for Fire Station 3 renovations.
The design of Fire Station 3 is not expected to kick off until this July.
Dave Wells, the city’s director of facilities and capital construction, said the construction budget includes two large contingencies, holding around $1.8 million for unexpected costs.
“Staff feels confident that we’re going to get that number down to where we would be able to fully fund Fire Station 3,” Wells said. “We’re expecting Fire Station 3 to come in, probably around $3 million.”
