Notable Stories - Travis County Fire Station No 7 and Training Facility

SPENT

FLIGHTS

COUNTRIES TRAVELLED

QUICK FACTS

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

SPENT

FLIGHTS

COUNTRIES TRAVELLED

QUICK FACTS

Having one Architect on a project is standard. Having three? That is a unique situation. On the Travis County Fire Station No. 7 and Training Center Project, responsibilities were split among three firms: Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects (BSW) oversaw the fire station itself, while Martinez Architects designed the training center and all civil and infrastructure work beginning five feet from the station, and G2 Solutions Group served as the subject matter expert for the burn buildings. This division meant that each design element had a specialized team behind it while also increasing the need for clear communication and a comprehensive understanding of the project.

“The challenge with three separate architect firms on one complex project is ensuring that every piece of the puzzle is accounted for while still keeping the Client’s vision intact.”

“For us, managing these communications and building strong working relationships between our team and the Architects has been key. Our team has been open and always willing to communicate,” said Senior Project Manager Ben Lewis. Communication is key, otherwise the resulting ripple effect from an issue can delay multiple trades and push back the schedule. Project Superintendent Joshua Huneycutt echoed this sentiment, stressing that, "If you’re always looking ahead and staying proactive, you can solve challenges before they become real problems."

“When a Client doesn’t have a construction background, there is an inherent demand for us to walk them through every aspect of the process to make sure that they have a clear understanding of things–things that we as builders may otherwise take for granted.”

QUICK FACTS

TOTAL VALUE OF TRAVIS COUNTY FIRE STATION No. 7 AND TRAINING CENTER PROJECT

$27.6M

SQUARE FOOTAGE OF TRAVIS COUNTY FIRE STATION No. 7 AND TRAINING CENTER PROJECT

60K

PROJECT FOR TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICT No. 2

1st

HANNAH

Blogger

ERIC REMINISCING OVER HIS TIME AS PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE ASU MUNICIPAL STADIUM RENOVATION PROJECT

"NOT ONLY WAS IT A COOL EXPERIENCE TO SERVE THE ASU COACHING STAFF AND TEAM THAT I KNEW, BUT TO BE ABLE TO APPLY MY CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE BASEBALL PROGRAM THAT I AM AN ALUMNUS OF WAS OBVIOUSLY A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXPERIENCE."

GARRETT TRICE

PROJECT ENGINEER CORE TEXAS

CORE TEXAS Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2 Fire Station No. 7 and Training Center

NOTABLE STORY

The Travis County ESD No. 2 Fire Station No. 7 and Training Center project involved constructing a new public safety campus in Manor, TX. The campus includes a 12,261-square-foot fire station and a 17,093-square-foot training center, spanning nearly 17 acres. The site features several burn buildings designed for training purposes: a 1,451-square-foot residential structure, a 2,880-square-foot multi-family structure, and a 1,512-square-foot strip mall structure, providing diverse scenarios for public safety officials to practice responses. The campus was built on a foundation of concrete footings, with cold-formed metal, load-bearing masonry, and structural steel framing. The exterior consists of masonry and metal panels, finished with built-up and metal panel roofing.

Caepudis sitis prore dolupturAquatem aliam quas invendi odit laborpore, odis enis mi, officid enecabo rrunto iur? Fugia volor audae cor aliat qui cor molor sustionsequo vel il il et reptamet aut raepro con por aut quatist et arum qui quid excerore dolupis voles eum est, ea pre saecae venecusam, ullaut litati aceptior sunt dolendenes aci consequatet, Comnis eum qui verovit atibus.Caepudis sitis prore dolupturAquatem aliam quas invendi odit laborpore, odis enis mi, officid enecabo rrunto iur? Fugia volor audae cor aliat qui cor molor sustionsequo vel il il et reptamet aut raepro con por aut quatist et arum qui quid excerore dolupis voles eum est, ea pre saecae venecusam, ullaut litati aceptior sunt dolendenes aci consequatet, comnis eum qui verovit. Caepudis sitis prore dolupturAquatem aliam quas invendi odit laborpore, odis enis mi, officid enecabo rrunto iur? Fugia volor audae cor aliat qui cor molor sustionsequo vel il il et reptamet aut raepro con por aut quatist et arum qui quid excerore dolupis voles eum est, ea pre saecae venecusam, ullaut litati aceptior sunt dolendenes aci consequatet, comnis eum qui verovit atibus.

One of the initial challenges encountered on the Travis County Fire Station No. 7 and Training Center project involved grading. When the original civil engineer transitioned off the project, the incoming engineer worked closely with the team to continue to refine and align the design with the Client’s expectations. This transition allowed for fresh perspectives and innovative solutions, ensuring that the project continued to progress smoothly and effectively and align to the Client's vision. “Through constant back-and-forth discussions and real-time walkthroughs, the project team made sure we were delivering exactly what the Client needed,” said Superintendent Robert Faurie. “Grading is not always easy to visualize, so the team took a hands-on approach, working alongside the civil engineering team at Gessner Engineering—walking the site, making adjustments, and ensuring that everything worked before locking it in." That attention to detail paid off, and Project Engineer Garrett Trice emphasized the importance of bringing the Client into the process at every stage to avoid any rework. “When a Client doesn’t have a construction background, there’s an inherent demand for us to walk them through every aspect of the process to make sure that they have a clear understanding of things–things that we as builders may otherwise take for granted,” said Trice. "In one instance," he continued, “We reached a point where the concrete forms had already been built, and it wasn’t until we were ready to pour that concerns were raised about their height. That’s when we realized how crucial the walkthroughs were in helping the Client understand the impact of each step.” "Ultimately, it's the Client that decides. That is part of our CORE values. The Client Decides, and for the Client to make the best decision possible, they have to be equipped with the most accurate, real-time information," emphasized Faurie.

Navigating Grading and Design Challenges

Coordinating Three Architects for One Vision

Caepudis sitis prore dolupturAquatem aliam quas invendi odit laborpore, odis enis mi, officid enecabo rrunto iur? Fugia volor audae cor aliat qui cor molor sustionsequo vel il il et reptamet aut raepro con por aut quatist et arum qui quid excerore dolupis voles eum est, ea pre saecae venecusam, ullaut litati aceptior sunt dolendenes aci consequatet. Comnis eum qui verovit atibus.Caepudis sitis prore dolupturAquatem aliam quas invendi odit laborpore, odis enis mi, officid enecabo rrunto iur? Fugia volor audae cor aliat qui cor molor sustionsequo vel il il et reptamet aut raepro con por aut quatist et arum qui quid excerore dolupis voles eum est, ea pre saecae venecusam, ullaut litati aceptior sunt dolendenes aci consequatet, comnis eum qui verovit. Caepudis sitis prore dolupturAquatem aliam quas invendi odit laborpore, odis enis mi, officid enecabo rrunto iur? Fugia volor audae cor aliat qui cor molor sustionsequo vel il il et reptamet aut raepro con por aut quatist et arum qui quid excerore dolupis voles eum est, ea pre saecae venecusam, ullaut litati aceptior sunt dolendenes aci consequatet, comnis eum qui verovit atibus.

“No place is ever as bad as they tell you it’s going to be.”

Having one architect on a project is standard. Having three? That is a unique challenge. On the Travis County Fire Station No. 7 and Training Center Project, responsibilities were split among three firms: Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects (BSW) oversaw the fire station itself, Martinez Architects designed the Training Center and all civil and infrastructure work beginning 5-feet from the station, and G2 Solutions Group handled the burn buildings. While this division ensured that each element had a specialized team behind it, it also meant more coordination meetings, more RFIs, and more proactive problem-solving to ensure that all the moving parts fit together.

“The challenge with three separate architect firms on one complex project is ensuring that every piece of the puzzle is accounted for while still keeping the Client’s vision intact,” said Superintendent Faurie. The team mitigated any challenges through rigorous communication, hosting weekly OAC meetings followed by site walk-throughs and documenting every change and solution in the construction management system, Procore, thereby guaranteeing the Architects, Owners and Trade Partners remained aligned throughout the process.

One of the most complex elements of the Travis County Fire Station No. 7 and Training Center project? The burn buildings. These specialized structures are designed to simulate real-world fire scenarios like residential, strip mall, and multi-family apartment complex fires. For Superintendent Huneycutt and many of the Trade Partners, this was the team’s first opportunity to work on specialized structures. Unlike traditional buildings, these facilities require special refractory materials, custom water drainage systems, and precise coordination between multiple trades. “There’s only so much you could get from drawings,” Huneycutt said. “A lot of the details had to be figured out on-site, in real-time.” To avoid any learning curve delays, the team made real-time adjustments and focused on seamless coordination between the concrete, steel, and wall Trade Partners. The complexity of the build and the evolving nature of its design led the team to bring in Superintendent Ceasar Martinez by the fall of 2024. Martinez provided project management support allowing the rest of the team to focus on specifics like these alignments in the burn build designs. His addition allowed the rest of the team to focus on the details of the interior finishes. “Given the complexity of this job,” said Faurie, “Ceasar came at a great time for us to be able to divide and conquer other elements of the build and ensure that our overall quality didn’t slip.” Huneycutt echoed this while emphasizing the added value Martinez brought to the team, “Ceasar was so detail oriented that he took photographs of the mockup station and would remind our crew of the original intent of certain specifications in the field.”

Burn Buildings: A Unique Learning Experience

“Since we started, we’ve picked up five more projects in the area."

“There’s always room to improve,” Huneycutt said. “But overall, I’d say this project has been a success. We’ve learned a lot, and we’re looking forward to finishing strong.” As the Travis County Fire Station No. 7 and Training Center project nears completion, it stands as a testament to problem-solving under pressure, transforming obstacles into opportunities, and delivering a facility with BSW, Martinez Architects, and G2 Solutions that will serve first responders for decades to come.

Beyond the immediate impact of this project, the team’s work on the Travis County Fire Station No. 7 and Training Center project has expanded CORE’s presence in Central Texas. “This project really helped us establish a footprint in the region,” Superintendent Robert Faurie said. “Since we started, we’ve picked up five more projects in the area.” One of those projects? A $75 million public works complex in the neighboring City of Pflugerville to be built alongside Marmon Mok Architecture, a direct result of the team’s ability to deliver quality work under challenging conditions. For Project Superintendents Joshua Huneycutt and Robert Faurie, the experience reinforced why adaptability and communication matter so much in construction.

More Than a Project— A Step Toward Growth

Building Team + Trust one experience, one story at a time.

NEWS.

SCROLL TO SEE MORE

JOSHUA HUNEYCUTT

PROJECT SUPERINTENDENT CORE TEXAS

“We recognized the schedule risks early, identified problem areas, and adjusted. Our team made sure that every trade knew the timeline and had a plan in place so we could keep things moving forward.”

“The thing about challenges is that they are also learning experiences. I like to learn, and you learn from challenges,” said Senior Project Manager Ben Lewis, as he adjusts his hard hat, grabs his gloves and follows the teams out of the office for a site walk. “We’ve learned a lot from this project that we’ll carry forward to future builds.”

Our Mission is to earn the trust of our Employees, Building Partners and Clients. Achieving this mission begins by building teams with members who have unwavering, comprehensive trust in one another, YOU!

"The thing about challenges is that they are also learning experiences. I like to learn, and you learn from challenges."

BEN LEWIS

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER CORE TEXAS

Click numbers above to advance through image gallery.

Robert Faurie, Project Superintendent, reflecting on the importance of maintaining cohesion.

Robert Faurie, Project Superintendent, reflecting on CORE's growth in Central Texas.

ROBERT FAURIE

PROJECT SUPERINTENDENT CORE TEXAS

"Ultimately, it's the Client that decides. That is part of our CORE values. The Client Decides, and for the Client to make the best decision possible, they have to be equipped with the most accurate, real-time information."