Miller Hull

By Zubin Rao and Geri Urbas

Fire departments across the region are reevaluating the facilities that support their work. Many existing stations no longer reflect current standards for firefighter health, operational efficiency, or community engagement. At the same time, departments must respond to increasing call volumes, expanded emergency medical services, and growing populations, often within constrained public budgets and on challenging sites.

At The Miller Hull Partnership and BNBuilders, we have been exploring how Progressive Design-Build (PDB) delivery can help public owners navigate these intersecting pressures. By aligning architect, contractor and owner early in the process, PDB creates a framework for evaluating cost, scope and technical challenges before decisions become fixed. For public safety facilities, where operational continuity, specialized infrastructure and long-term durability are critical, early collaboration can meaningfully influence outcomes.

Read the full story at Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce