CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A large-scale renovation project is underway for the city of Charleston’s fire stations, modernizing some of the older firehouses and making a more comfortable experience for firefighters.
The $4.5 million project impacts the fire department citywide, and Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said this is something she’s been hearing about since first being elected.
“It was said then, as it was said ten years before then and ten years before then, we need some renovations done. Some of these buildings are 30, 40, 50 years old, and just as you do in your own homes and the place that you work, you need a facelift. You need a refresher,” she said.
The most significant work updates the living quarters for firefighters at the city’s older stations to modern standards. Those changes include replacing dormitory-style housing with individual bedrooms.
“I think this is going to have a big influence on just the mental aspect of the firefighters. When you have a safe place to come to, a clean place to come to, it just can’t help but make the job more rewarding,” Charleston Fire Chief Craig Matthews said.
According to Matthews, the renovations are occurring in a tiered process, with Station 2 on the West Side and Station 4 on Oakridge Road currently offline while construction takes place. Once work is complete there in about six months, Station 1 on Morris Street and Station 5 on Bridge Road will shut down for the same period of time.
To avoid a gap in services, operations from the offline stations move to other nearby firehouses in the meantime.
Station 7, located on Cora Street, will undergo a much larger overhaul, with the current station being torn down and replaced by a new building. Several other stations are receiving minor updates as well.
These renovations come with significant support from both the mayor’s office and from Charleston City Council. Goodwin believes this is a physical example of Charleston’s care for its firefighters.
“What you see in front of you and behind you is our commitment to making sure that we’re taking care of our fire department and the amazing men and women who work on your behalf every day,” she said.
Leading the charge from city council is Councilman Chuck Overstreet, the city’s former fire chief. His firsthand experience in the firehouses pushed him to support this work.
“City council is behind this because I know what it feels like to not get any privacy, no rest, and you know the kitchen is important to us,” he said.
Leaders view the project as not only a step toward modernizing Charleston’s fire stations but also toward preparing them for the future. Matthews wants to see these buildings continue to serve the city for decades to come.
“These buildings have served the citizens of Charleston now for 80 years, since 1939, three of them. By just investing this money into it now, we’re going to maintain these buildings for their 100th-year anniversary,” he said.
With renovations at Station 2 and Station 4 underway, the work on the four stations receiving new living quarters is expected to take about one year, with the work at Station 7 being a longer-term project.