City News & Updates

A new fire station isn’t just a building – it’s an investment in the safety, skill and future of our Fire Department and the community it protects.

Construction of a new station is on track to begin later this year after Council members voted 7-0 on first reading to approve 11-C-25, an ordinance providing initial project funding. A second reading and final vote, scheduled for the August 26 meeting, will determine whether the project proceeds.

Shive Hattery, a firm specializing in fire station design, has developed building plans for the new facility. The station will be next to Schenkel’s Dairy on city-owned property at 1005 Flaxmill Road. It will replace Station No. 1 and administrative offices on Condit Street.

The Flaxmill Road parcel was originally purchased in 2008 with the intention of building a fire station.

At nearly 50 years old, the current Condit Street station is outdated and overcrowded. Designs for the new station address the Fire Department’s modern needs with an emphasis on safety, readiness and world-class training. Examples of this include:

• Fast response time capabilities to all areas of Huntington.
• Advanced fire bay systems with cutting-edge air circulation and decontamination technology to ensure firefighter safety after each incident.
• Positive pressure air locks separating the fire bay from living quarters, keeping harmful contaminants and carcinogens away from rest areas.
• A dedicated training tower to simulate real-life fire and rescue scenarios, allowing crews to train like they respond.
• Expanded and modernized living quarters, administrative offices and public meeting areas to better serve both firefighters and the community.
• Capacity to house eight on-duty firefighters and four administrative staff, supporting round-the-clock readiness.

Total construction costs are expected to be about $12.6 million. Upon Council’s approval, the city will responsibly apply available cash funds and issue lease bonds to cover project costs. Consultants with Baker Tilly have overseen financial planning.

Once approved, foundation and concrete work at the site would likely begin in September or October.

The City continues to explore potential reuses of the current station, which will remain open during the new station’s construction. Future use of the Condit Street site that will best serve the surrounding neighborhood is still being determined.