Movers and Shakers: Willis A. Smith Construction Awarded Sarasota County's Program as the Construction Manager for Four New Fire Stations

SARASOTA – Willis A. Smith Construction has been awarded Sarasota County's program as the construction manager for four new fire stations. In conjunction with Sweet Sparkman Architects, the new fire stations will be designed with a blend of the latest practices in Emergency Management and more traditional methods of service delivery. Additionally, the new fire stations will employ strategies to reduce energy costs and will be certified under the USGBC Building & Design Construction LEED program.

Each fire station is designed to meet Sarasota County's 2030 Challenge Resolution No. 2006-157. This resolution requires a minimum fossil-fuel energy consumption performance standard of 60% the U.S. average for each building type as defined by the U.S. Department of Energy. Water efficient landscaping with adaptive plants and effective irrigation will also be utilized at each site to reduce energy costs. Each fire station will meet FEMA's standards for hardened construction and will be able to withstand wind loads upto 150 mph.

"We are excited about working with Sarasota County on these new facilities and helping to upgrade critical services they provide," states David Sessions, President of Willis A. Smith Construction.

The new fire stations will be located on Bee Ridge, on South Tamiami Trail, at Twin Lakes Park and along Desoto Road near University Town Center and the Nathan Benderson Park. Construction is slated to start on the first station this spring with total completion of all four fire stations in 2016.

Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc. is a construction management firm headquartered in Lakewood Ranch, primarily serving Southwest Florida since 1972. For more information about the company, visit www.willissmith.com.