Fontaine constructed the Lenox Public Safety Complex as a modern, consolidated emergency response facility that brought the town’s police, fire, and EMS operations under one roof for the first time. The 22,000 SF complex at the corner of Route 7/20 and Housatonic Street replaced the town’s century-old central fire station and a police station that had operated out of the basement of Town Hall. It gives Lenox a purpose-built headquarters designed to support 24/7 emergency response and the community’s long-term public safety needs.
Designed by Caolo & Bieniek Associates, the L-shaped building is organized into distinct police and fire wings. Its residential-scaled roofline and architectural shingle roofing fit the character of the Berkshires community. The police wing includes a roll call room, booking area, holding cell, interview suite, evidence processing lab, armory, and a secure two-gate vehicle sally port. The fire and EMS wing has apparatus bays, a watch room, a day room, multiple sleeping quarters, a fitness room, and dedicated decontamination areas that separate contaminated gear and equipment from living spaces.
The project required close coordination of underground utilities, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, communications, and security systems for continuous emergency operations. That included infrastructure for a 150-foot transmission tower supporting police, fire, and ambulance radio and wireless communications. Working with the Town of Lenox and owner’s project manager P3 (Project Planning Professionals), Fontaine broke ground in spring 2024, enclosed the building before winter, and delivered the project on schedule and under budget. The completed complex modernizes the town’s emergency response capabilities, strengthens recruitment and retention of first responders, and creates a durable civic facility designed to serve Lenox for decades.
