LOMPOC, Calif. - The Lompoc Fire Department says one of the two stations in the city is just simply too small to meet the requirements of the growing community. The city is finding a better way to fund the project by utilizing Cal Poly students to get the project off the ground.
The city said it's a cheaper alternative to get rough draft design work done, and it's a win-win deal because students in Cal Poly's architecture and urban design departments get a chance to work on a real project.
Lompoc Fire Chief Kurt Latipow says station 2, one of the two stations in the city, needs to go. He says the two fire engines in the garage just barely squeeze in, not to mention the small parking lot out front. So Latipow made calls to Cal Poly's architecture and urban design departments to see if its students wanted to design a new station.
"The idea came from the fact that when I was fire chief of Arroyo Grande, Cal Poly came into the community and worked with the community to design the streetscape for downtown," says Latipow.
This isn't the first time Cal Poly has done design work in Lompoc. If you walk through downtown you can see many examples like the benches and light poles up and down the sidewalk in the heart of downtown.
According to Mayor John Linn, there will be no cost to the city for these student inspired designs. This saves the city tens of thousands of dollars. Linn can attest to the quality of the work done in downtown.
"They did really good work there and saved us a lot of money," says Linn.
The design projects won't be complete until next June, but Latipow is positive about the first step being taken and keeping the project local.
"I'm very enthusiastic to at least get something on the drawing board," says Latipow.
If city council gives this the thumbs up, then the students will start their projects January.
