Lockport Township Fire Protection District

The new Lockport Fire Protection District (LFPD) headquarters facility, designed with the help of EEA consultants, was built on a parcel of land inside the Lockport Park District’s undeveloped Prairie Bluff Park. On the construction site, coordination was required between multiple municipal parties. Because the headquarters were built before any recreational park improvements, the first phase allowed EEA and the design team to widen Renwick Road with turn lanes, then design and build the main entrance to the park.

The project also implemented numerous environmentally-friendly stormwater management components, including discharging downspouts on grade and through bioswales and curb cuts to recharge the groundwater supplies. Additionally, this practice helped protect endangered animal species found on site.

The Lockport Township site presented fresh opportunities for design but also required careful attention, as the new facility was to sit across from the Lewis University Airport. Special considerations were implemented regarding grading, building height, lighting locations and height, and minimizing standing water conditions within the detention basins.

Upon completion, the headquarters station provided four double-deep apparatus bays, a residential area for firefighters, administrative offices, and a basement space used for training.