HERSHEY VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY

The Hershey Volunteer Fire Company was in the process of deciding between building a new building on a new site in Hershey or renovating and adding onto the existing building that had been its home since 1928 on West Caracas Avenue on land donated by Milton Hershey. CDA was asked to study how the existing building could be altered and added onto in order to accommodate modern fire fighting apparatus.

The building was expanded with additions in 1956 and 1971, and the surrounding context was significantly altered in 2011 with the realignment of Chocolate and Cocoa Avenues. CDA developed a design concept that allows the fire company to respect its past by restoring the original 1928 building but also build for the future by adding a drive-through apparatus bay area to the west. CDA’s design was recognized in 2015 by the American Institute of Architects with a design award.