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1974 fire station renovation underway
Kimberly Kuizon reports
SIESTA KEY, Fla. - Station 13 on Siesta Key was built in 1974 and it's been due for a much-needed upgrade.
"It doesn't have everything we need for it,” explained Chief Michael Regnier. “We’ve grown since then and it’ll be storm-ready, so if a hurricane comes or anything like that, it’ll still be here once the storm goes by."
Thursday morning, fire crews watched as a crane started the demolition of Station 13. For now, firefighters have located to a temporary site right next door.
The new $5.5-million station will be two stories tall. It'll be able to withstand storm surge and a Category 4 or 5 hurricane.
"If a Category 4 or 5 storm comes through here, this building will remain here and be able to respond to the community," Regnier said.
Station 13 has been a big part of the community and also part of the careers of hundreds of firefighters.
Regnier added that they are going to make sure a little bit of the old station is remembered in their new building.
"We are holding a lot of the brick that was built with this fire station, we are actually putting a lot of the brick into the new fire station on a wall so that people that come in that have worked here before kind of keeps that nostalgia going," he added.
Construction on the new station is expected to be wrapped up by the spring of 2021.