Cars have been cleared off the lot next to Maplewood City Hall as crews will start preparing the site to build the new city firehouse. The ground breaking ceremony is tentatively set for Tuesday, May 24 at 6:30 p.m.
When the design was approved in December 2014 Fire Chief Terry Merrell said the focus was “function, function, function; to make this station work, and work for a long, long time — 50 years minimum.”
Also, as reported in 2014, trucks will pull straight in from the Bredell Avenue side and exit out toward city hall. The side facing Manchester Road will have a window with a view of the trucks. Firefighters will live on the same level as the trucks — so no poles to slide down. Offices and a fitness room will be on a floor below that. Apparatus support and a three-story training tower will go between the living quarters and the trucks.
A firefighter at the current firehouse said on Wednesday that the plan is to finish the new firehouse in one year.
