The city has also used the Clark State side for community meetings when class is not in session, which has been helpful to meet citizens and show off what the city is doing.
The goal is to modernize the force, with accommodations for both female and male firefighters, as well as more space for more and larger equipment than was available at the time the older stations were built, Via said.
“The new (stations) have individual sleeping rooms and then their own bathrooms also, so there’s definitely a lot more privacy there,” Via said.
In March 2023, the city broke ground on the east side station at 3925 S. Charleston Pike. The station is on track to open around April, Via said.
Via said the third station, to be at 1715 W. North Street, was rebid to save money.
Via said this time the city received new and better bids, and the facility will now include additional bay space and storage for Box 27, a volunteer group that provides necessities and support for firefighters at active fires.
The city purchased the Villager Inn, 1715 W. North St. in 2022 for use as a homeless shelter at a cost of $1.7 million. But once the city had taken possession, the structure was found to be in worse condition than anticipated. Then an August 2023 fire caused further structural damage. Ultimately the city demolished the building.
City officials had originally announced plans to build the new west side fire station at 100 Zischler Street, but switched the location to the former hotel site when they determined the Zischler site would not accommodate the four-bay station size intended for the building.
The city is now selling a portion of the land, which Via said will not be needed for the completed station, for $750,000.
“We’re also excited to see new development tight there,” Via said. “(It will) definitely change the look of the city as you’re coming into town from the west side.”
Work began at the Villager Inn site in mid-January, with underground infrastructure and sewer work, Via said. He said the city approved an easement with Ohio Edison for the project.
A fourth station was put on hold last year due to increases in construction prices, and Via said this is still the case.
“That’s something we’ll have to reevaluate later on,” Via said.
Via said the city is looking at potential grant opportunities, but at $5million to $6 million per station, that’s difficult.
Springfield Fire Rescue Division Chief Jacob King said previously that getting new firehouses and equipment shows a continued investment strategy by city commissioners and other city leadership. He said it helps not just fire rescue division members, but the community as a whole.
“It’s going to put our fire stations in better locations so that we can have a better response time to serve them, getting better apparatus that’s going to allow us to respond more efficiently and effectively to support our citizens from our community,” King said.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
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