Fort Lauderdale needs commission approval to build the fire station on a 200-by-160-foot site in Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. Hearings are Nov. 17 and Dec. 2.
Fort Lauderdale’s long-delayed new Fire Station 13 goes before the City Commission on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The city wants approval to build it inside Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, on East Sunrise Boulevard.
The ordinance would approve a fire station as a “public purpose use and structure” on land zoned for parks, recreation and open space. It would also grant relief from five sections of the city’s zoning code. That is according to the city’s notice of public hearings, published Thursday in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Where it would go
The notice describes a site 200 feet wide and 160 feet long within the state park. It lies along the north side of East Sunrise Boulevard. The Postal Service address is 2871 E. Sunrise Blvd.
That address is not new for Station 13. In 2014 the city ranked architects for “Fire Station No. 13, 2871 East Sunrise Boulevard”.
The hearings
| Meeting | Date and time | Place |
|---|---|---|
| First reading, public hearing | 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17 | Police Department Community Room 1004, 1300 W. Broward Blvd. |
| Second reading | 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2 | Same room |
Anyone may speak at either meeting, the notice said. The ordinance can be inspected at the City Clerk’s office, 1 E. Broward Blvd., Suite 444. People who need help to take part should call the clerk at 954-828-5002 at least two days before.
A project 12 years in the making
The station has been through several rounds:
- 2014: the city ranked architecture firms for the station at 2871 E. Sunrise Blvd.
- 2020-21: the commission approved a temporary Station 13 on Vistamar Street, then in September 2021 a $1,237,903 contract to set it up at 3109 Vistamar St. with a trailer, a bunker shed and a canvas vehicle bay.
- 2024-25: after an April 2024 notice from the original architect, ACAI Associates, the city switched to design-build and hired H2M Architects & Engineers in February 2025 to draw up the design criteria, according to a March 2025 update from Fire Chief Stephen Gollan.
- March 2025: that update put the cost at $13,627,563, against $9,936,478.75 in the budget, a possible shortfall of $3,691,084.25.
- May 2026: the commission approved a $22,745,045 design-build agreement with CORE Construction Services of Florida for Station 13 and a new Emergency Medical Sub-Station 88 at 507 SE 11th Court.
The chief’s 2025 update gave these reasons for the rising cost:
- raising the property nearly 6 feet to meet new flood level requirements
- a retaining wall around the raised site
- construction costs up 5% since January 2024, and tariffs
- permitting, furnishings and fire rescue equipment
What it costs
The May 2026 memo set aside $13,939,721.40 for Station 13 and $9,014,252.60 for Station 88. The total project cost for both was $22,953,974, including $208,929 in city project management fees.
Station 13 is the last project paid for by the 2004 Fire Rescue Facilities General Obligation Bond, the city manager’s memo said.
The memo said the station would serve “a growing service area with increasing call volumes and demand for emergency response.”
What it means for you
If you live on the central beach, in the Birch Road area or along East Sunrise Boulevard, this is your fire station. The Nov. 17 hearing is the first chance to speak on building it inside the state park. The city will also need a second vote on Dec. 2 before the ordinance takes effect.
The full ordinance and staff report are not yet on the city’s meeting calendar. Contact details for your commissioner are in our guide to who to call at City Hall.
Have your say