call for art for our new fire station

The new Fire Rescue Station #11 will replace the second oldest fire station in Norfolk. It is centrally located on Lafayette Boulevard in Fairmount Park, one of many established neighborhoods of Norfolk. Fairmount Park is a solid mixed income neighborhood with modest homes, tree-lined streets, and strong character located in the middle of Norfolk. Dating back to 1899 it is one of the most culturally, ethnically, and generationally diverse and integrated neighborhoods. It is bordered by the waterways of the Lafayette River and Wayne’s Creek.

Beginning in 2002, neighborhood residents came together and worked with the City to create the Fairmount Park Neighborhood Revitalization Plan. The Plan addresses economic and business development, housing, homeownership and conservation, infrastructure, public facilities and services, parks and trails, public safety, and emergency services. The new fire station was always a part of the ‘02 plan. The fire station will serve 11 different neighborhoods and will be a beacon, a landmark in the business corridor for the neighborhood and for the city. The new building is modern and aesthetically designed with the newest ideas of sustainability and efficiency to create calm and reduce trauma for firefighters and paramedics. The station is part of the natural progression of economic development for Lafayette.

The committee wants inspiring, engaging, forward-thinking art that will make a strong statement and live up to the quality of the building design. The artwork should stimulate thought and serve as an example of creativity, be adventurous, and embraced by a younger generation rather than tell the history. It should tell the story of a safe resilient neighborhood.