Hannah Vagnozzi, Ken Newell
Feb 4, 2026
Groundbreaking of Olympia Columbia Fire Station
We're very excited to announce the groundbreaking of our new Columbia, SC fire station! The new station design is just over 15,000 square feet, featuring three new apparatus bays with support spaces, dedicated decontamination areas, a training/communication room, offices, and multiple firefighter living spaces.
We're very excited to announce the groundbreaking of our new Columbia, SC fire station!
The new station design is just over 15,000 square feet, featuring three new apparatus bays with support spaces, dedicated decontamination areas, a training/communication room, offices, and multiple firefighter living spaces. These include: 9 bunk rooms, toilet/shower rooms, a laundry room, dayroom, kitchen, & dining.
"First Responders have a long and proud history of serving the community during times of some of our greatest need. First responders are more than happy to be servants to their neighbors. At Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects, we consider it a high honor to serve these servants," says Ken Newell, both name partner and principal architect of the project.
The station has also been designed to incorporate the latest practices in protecting our first responders, such as:
Individual bunk rooms to protect against sleep deprivation
Accommodations, such as private toilet/shower rooms, for the ever-changing ratio of male-to-female firefighter population
High-speed bi-fold bay doors for faster emergency response times
Incorporated training props for on-site training evaluations
A dedicated physical training room
An outdoor space for decompression and mental health benefit
Incorporated biophilic design elements
And newly adopted NFPA hot zone/decontamination protection against cancer and infectious disease
"The city had the foresight to allow use of materials, systems, and finishes that should result in a station that serves the citizens of Columbia for at least 50-75 years," Newell continued. "We trust that the city and first responders will benefit greatly from the facility. We look forward to serving the City [of Columbia] for many years to come."
Click the links below to view the news coverage on WOLO-TV (ABC), WIS-TV (NBC), and WLTX-TV (CBS).
City leaders break ground for new Olympia fire station | wltx.com