Overview

The Queens Hospital EMS 50 Station for the FDNY occupies the northern edge of the existing Queens Hospital campus facing onto the residentially scaled Goethals Avenue. The building mediates between the disparate scales of the existing 10-story hospital structure and the diminutive two-story bungalows lining Goethals Avenue. It is large in plan to address the scale of the hospital and small in section to achieve a residential scale as it faces the neighborhood.

About the Project

LiRo-Hill provided construction management services for this new two-story 13,000 sf facility incorporating both ambulance corps facilities and administrative space for the EMS Division 4 Command. As the largest EMS facility in Queens, the building contains an apparatus floor accommodating several ambulances, a Major Emergency Response Vehicle (MERV) and a Medical Evacuation Transportation Unit (METU). Additional components include training facilities, blood borne pathogen decontamination areas, locker rooms, and break areas for the emergency responders.

Project Challenges & Solutions

The unusual topography of the physical site slopes in two directions. To address the sloping site while also creating a link between the multi-story buildings and the low-profile residences, Dean/Wolfe Architects developed a double bar mass with conversely sloping roofs. The strong diagonals embody the programmatic need for action and rapid response. A 30 ft section of the second floor, supported by 165 ft long trusses, cantilevers over a driveway. The trusses, which were assembled on site, minimized the number of required columns and created a flexible open floorplan.

Outcome

The new facility makes it easier for the FDNY to respond to more calls than ever before.