Spring Fire Department W.W. “Cotton” Weaver Training Center
Owner: Harris County Emergency Services Department 7 Architect (Logistics Building): Abercrombie Planning & Design Architect (Burn Buildings): Martinez Architects
The Harris County Emergency Service District No. 7 Spring Fire Department W.W. “Cotton” Weaver Training Center represents years of planning, purpose and commitment to the future of firefighter training in the region. Located on a 63 acre site in Spring, Texas, the new complex was built by our SpawGlass-Houston team in partnership with Abercrombie Planning & Design and Martinez Architects to provide hands on training and fleet maintenance capabilities for the Spring Fire Department (SFD). Like SpawGlass, SFD was established in 1953, beginning as a small rural volunteer force. The new SFD training facility is named in honor of W.W. Weaver, affectionately known as “Cotton,” one of the department’s first volunteers and longest serving fire chief. While Chief Weaver sadly passed away in early 2026 at the age of 93, he was able to see the project completed, a milestone that held deep meaning for the department and the community it serves. Spanning undeveloped land, the project required extensive site preparation before vertical construction could begin. Utility installation, grading and infrastructure work prepared the site for its transformation into a multi building training complex serving a variety of functions for the department.At the heart of the site is the 48,670‑square‑foot logistics building, which brings fleet maintenance, storage and administrative functions under one roof. Construction of the logistics building began with 53‑foot concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls built section by section, followed by the installation of 115‑foot-long steel trusses, which were assembled onsite and set using a 500‑ton crane. A large, open maintenance bay with 52‑foot-tall ceilings allows ladder trucks to fully extend indoors, a capability the department did not previously have. Before the new facility was built, vehicle maintenance often took place in station parking lots, limiting efficiency and protection from the elements.
The complex also includes specialized burn buildings designed for live fire training. During training exercises, interiors can reach up to 1,000 degrees before being rapidly cooled with water, demanding materials engineered for durability and performance. These structures were constructed using CMU walls, fire brick flooring and Padgenite interlocking calcium silicate tile systems to withstand extreme heat and rapid temperature changes.
Before the burn buildings were placed into service, an initial burn was conducted by SFD to season the interiors and prepare them for ongoing use. One of the buildings, a three‑level “residential” structure, incorporates roof‑mounted anchor systems designed for elevated rescue and rappelling exercises. These systems were installed by the SpawGlass-Houston Building Services team, ensuring the facility was equipped for advanced training scenarios from day one.
Throughout the project, the team worked together to deliver a facility that exceeded the department’s expectations, forming a steadfast relationship and building an ecstatic client.