Like the Temple Street Parking Garage, the fire station is also part of the new urban fabric for New Haven. Alongside its immediate purpose it also served thanks to its monumental scale as an architectural landmark for the district. The building is a fortress-like monument built of exposed cast-in-place concrete and a geometric scheme based on hexagonal forms animates the plan. A high level of refined detail is exhibited throughout in the exposed finish of the concrete which has a very smooth surface finish, unlike some Brutalist designs. Patterns of incised lines, created by attaching raised spacer strips to the formwork, animate the surfaces, providing whimsical indications of the locations of stairs, landings, and floor levels behind the massive concrete bearing walls. Written by Patrick Krupa

Heritage-listed since 2009, in use. The fire station’s smooth concrete flanks are scored with subtle vertical grooves; today, its exposed concrete—inside and out—looks very good for its age. Remarkably few changes have been made: Air-conditioning improvements have added more exposed ducts; a top-floor recessed porch has been enclosed for offices. The sleekly detailed aluminum-and-glass overhead doors for the trucks are original, and firefighters still slide down the same brass poles.