CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The City of Charlotte broke ground Thursday, Oct. 8, on Firehouse 44, a 14,000-square-foot station planned for the growing River District on Dixie River Road and billed as the first mass-timber firehouse in the Southeast.
The two-story, three-bay facility is designed to expand Charlotte Fire Department emergency response coverage in the west Charlotte community. Leaders said firefighters have been operating from a temporary station nearby, responding to more than 1,500 calls since early this year.
The building is planned as 100 percent electric, using geothermal climate systems and solar panels aimed at eliminating its carbon footprint. The city also plans to pursue International Living Future Institute Zero Carbon certification and LEED Gold certification.
Charlotte Fire Department Chief Reginald Johnson said Firehouse 44 puts crews closer to homes on fire, medical emergencies and serious crashes when residents call 911. The temporary firehouse completed earlier in 2026 near the future Catawba Crossing includes a triple-wide trailer and a pre-engineered apparatus bay while the permanent station is built.
Project materials list Samet Corp. as general contractor and AWD Architects as the designer. The groundbreaking site is at 7900 Dixie River Road, near Charlotte Douglas Airport and new construction in the River District.
Mayor Rob Harrington’s administration ties the station to city growth plans, while Charlotte Fire Department facilities planning guides where new houses open as neighborhoods expand west.
City officials originally eyed a Sept. 23 groundbreaking and shifted to Oct. 8 after weather delays. Council members and sustainability staff joined fire leadership for the ceremonial start of construction.