A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the grand opening of the Wellfleet Fire and Rescue headquarters constructed by Bufftree Building Co. Members of the fire department, town officials, architects and representatives of Bufftree Bldg. joined the general public in celebrating the official opening of the new $5.5 million station, located at 10 Lawrence Rd.
John Keenan, president of the project's architectural firm, Keenan & Kenny Architects, Ltd. of Falmouth, said that the fire and rescue station was completed in April 2009 ahead of schedule and with less than 2% total change order cost additions. "The town of Wellfleet, Bufftree Building and W.W. Reich, Inc., the owner's project manager, all contributed to a great team effort."
Keenan explained that the 18,662 s/f fire station is comprised of a two-story administration/housing wing building with full basement, a single-story, slab-on-grade containing ambulance and apparatus bays, storage and equipment, and associated areas. The building's engineering and such items as roofing and windows are designed to withstand a Category III (130 mph) hurricane. Electrical systems include full building emergency power and over 80,000 gallons of water storage for building fire protection and apparatus filling.
"Bufftree Building Co. has been a terrific partner to the Town of Wellfleet and the Wellfleet Fire & Rescue Department in building our new headquarters station," said Fire chief Daniel Silverman. "From our very first meeting, we were impressed with their organization and their promise to do the job well, to finish on time and to bring the project in within the budget. That impression proved correct. Throughout the building process, the communication among Bufftree, the architects and the town was outstanding. It quickly became clear that Bufftree is committed to both safety and quality, and that they aren't going to compromise either just to get the job done. This job has been a model of how well a public construction project can go, and the Wellfleet Fire & Rescue Department is extremely pleased with our new station. Should we have the opportunity and the choice, we would use Bufftree Building Co. for any construction project."
Keenan said the design includes features that are in harmony with what is considered as the classic Cape Cod style of architecture and with the beauty of its natural surroundings. "The exterior finishes, in keeping with the town's Zoning By-Laws and the area's tradition, will be primarily natural red cedar shingles and red brick," he noted. "In addition, the existing, approximately 55-ft. tall, 30-year-old dawn redwoods grace the site along Route 6 and have been carefully protected to remain through construction completion."
Bufftree Building's Cape Cod portfolio includes the new Bourne Fire Station at the Sagamore Bridge; the new facility for Cape Cod Veterinary Specialists, also in Bourne; and projects for the Wequasset Inn Resort and Golf Club in Chatham. Bufftree has also been the contractor for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution over many years.