North Fire Substation

Wilmington North Fire Substation

Welcome to the Wilmington North Fire Substation Project website. This page provides information on the planning, feasibility, schematic design, continued design, and future construction milestones for the Town’s new North Wilmington Fire Substation.

The Wilmington Fire Department currently operates from the Town’s Public Safety Building at 1 Adelaide Street. Continued commercial and residential growth in North Wilmington has increased calls for service in this area of Town. In addition, trains frequently block Route 62, also known as Middlesex Avenue, creating delays for emergency vehicles responding from the existing Adelaide Street station to North Wilmington.

A response time analysis prepared by the Fire Department, in coordination with the Department of Public Works Engineering Division, confirmed longer response times to the northern part of Town from the current Public Safety Building. To help address this need, the Town advanced plans for a new fire substation on Salem Street, adjacent to the Harnden Tavern and the medical center. The Town acquired this approximately 13-acre parcel in 1990, at which time a portion of the land was reserved for a future fire substation. The current project is expected to utilize approximately two acres of the property.

In fall 2025, the Town conducted a competitive procurement for Owner’s Project Management services and selected LeftField as the Owner’s Project Manager. During the late fall and winter, LeftField, in coordination with the Town, managed a separate procurement for architectural and engineering services, resulting in the selection of The Galante Architecture Studio as the project designer. Once the Project Team was fully engaged, the Town completed a feasibility and schematic design phase to confirm the space needs program, evaluate building and site concepts, develop a schematic design, prepare the project schedule, and establish a construction cost estimate and total project budget.

The design includes a new three-bay fire substation of approximately 14,588 gross square feet. The facility is designed to support modern emergency response, staffing, and training requirements, while providing the operational, administrative, and support spaces needed to serve northern Wilmington effectively. The substation will accommodate Fire and emergency medical operations and will include a three-bay apparatus bay, turnout gear storage, decontamination areas, equipment and support spaces, living quarters, seven bunk rooms, kitchen and day room areas, fitness space, meeting and administrative areas, and dedicated satellite Police support functions.

This feasibility and schematic design work established a total project budget of $19.9 million. The project was presented to Town Meeting as Article 18 and was approved on Saturday, May 2, 2026. Of the total project budget, $4.1 million had been previously appropriated, and an additional $15.8 million was approved at Town Meeting. The funding plan presented to Town Meeting included $4.0 million from the overlay budget and $11.8 million from free cash. To see the presentation made at Town Meeting, please click here.

The Project is now proceeding through continued design refinement and construction documentation. Construction is currently anticipated to begin in spring 2027, with project completion targeted for fall 2028 or earlier.

The Town will continue to provide periodic updates on this page as the Project advances through design, procurement, construction, and completion.

LeftField, LLC – Owner’s Project Manager “OPM”     

LEFTFIELD is an Owner’s Representative and Project Management firm, established in 2007. We specialize in owners project management services and have significant experience in the public sector, working with municipalities and building authorities. As Owners Project Managers, we work in conjunction with the Owner serving as an extension of their staff. Our primary role is to protect the Owner’s interests, ensuring the Owner is well-served and that the established goals and objectives are met in the most efficient manner, physically and financially.

LEFTFIELD is well-versed in all phases of project management: planning, feasibility, preconstruction, design, bidding, construction, commissioning, and close-out. We have significant experience with both design-bid-build construction contract methodologies and the Construction Management at-Risk (CM at-Risk) approach. In addition to managing the design and construction of a project, LEFTFIELD has been instrumental in assisting owners with the acceptance and turnover of buildings from construction to operations.

For more information, go to www.leftfieldpm.com

The Galante Studio, Inc. – Architect

The Galante Architecture Studio, Inc. (TGAS) was established in 1997 by Founding Principal Theodore Galante and is an innovative, LEED®-accredited design studio providing architecture, urban planning, and design services throughout New England. TGAS is a boutique-scale studio with a team of 30 individuals from diverse backgrounds, and has completed hundreds of institutional, commercial, municipal, and residential projects over nearly three decades.

TGAS delivers forward-thinking design solutions that balance function, aesthetics, and budget through active listening and careful attention to detail. Our team integrates sustainable design with model making, prototyping, and advanced Revit-based BIM to clearly communicate design intent and guide projects through complex public review processes

For more information, please go to www.galantearchitecture.com