PETERSBURG, Va. — Petersburg's Market Street Fire Station is undergoing a major renovation with new concrete, flooring, HVAC, and more after 61 years of wear and tear.
Fire Station 2 opened in 1965. In the six decades it has been in use, fire trucks and engines have changed significantly — and the building has felt it, according to Fire Chief Wayne Hoover.
"The major difference is the apparatus today weight a lot more. They're a log longer. A lot more wear and tear on the station floors, front apron," Hoover said.
The entire front apron has been torn up and new concrete will be poured. Other changes include new flooring downstairs and a fresh coat of paint throughout the building.
"This is just an opportunity to modernize this fire station," Hoover said.
On the second floor, firefighters are also getting new beds and mattresses, along with a new HVAC system — a change that Captain Danny Partin, who has 28 years with Petersburg Fire, said was long overdue.
"Right now we're standing in nice air conditioning and last year we didn't have air conditioning that was reliable," Partin said.
Partin said the improvements represent a dramatic turnaround for the department.
"Five years ago we didn't have toilet paper and now we're getting a new front diamond, getting all new paint, all the latest and greatest fire equipment, so in five years, we have come a long, long way," Partin said.
Firefighters work 24-hour shifts, making the station a second home. Hoover said that reality is central to the renovation's purpose.
"Our firefighters live here, one third of their life, this is their home," Hoover said.
Captain Jerren Lucas, who has been with the department 11 years, said the upgrades are already making a difference.
"This is our second home, so to be able to come back here to go home, it's freshly painted, floors are re-done, bays getting re-done. It makes it feel more like home," Lucas said.
The cost of renovating Station 2 is just under $500,000. The city is also facing similar issues with its Farmer Street station, which was never designed for today's fire engines and trucks.
Within the next 36 months, a new Station 7 is expected to open on Medical Park Boulevard, between the hospital and casino and close to the pharmaceutical manufacturing plants.
Hoover said the goal of the Market Street renovation is straightforward.
"We're looking to extend the life of this fire station as long as possible," Hoover said.
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