Weston fire group endorses superstation-plus-renovation model

WESTON — June 17, 2024 — Weston's Fire Station Working Group lands on a superstation-plus-renovation model, dropping program area roughly 7 percent. At its June 17 meeting, the group reviewed two scenarios from Tecton Architects: a 23,000-square-foot new superstation paired with a renovation of either the Center Station (Scenario A, about 35,800 square feet total) or the South Station (Scenario B, about 37,600 square feet), each with a 3,500-square-foot outbuilding for spare apparatus. Architect Jeff Shaw said the new approach makes renovation "a lot more viable, a lot less complicated than it was previously." Fire Chief Jonathan Linehan said either scenario requires the department's Scenario 2 staffing model so an ambulance is based at both stations — without it, "that ambulance is like 13 minutes away" on the north side. The group also authorized a test fit on two private parcels at 175 and 185 Boston Post Road across from the police station, totaling roughly 1.5 acres, despite perennial streams that trigger Rivers Protection Act review. Owner's project manager Jeff Tocchio set a draft schedule targeting May 2025 Annual Town Meeting for design funding.