LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Lynchburg Fire Department temporarily closed Station Three on Fort Avenue so it could undergo new renovations.
Chief Greg Wormser says it’s desperately needed to help firefighters serve the community.
“Square-footage wise it is a bit of a smaller station, so this gives us an opportunity to create some more modern spaces for our employees and some better working and living conditions,” said Wormser.
The station will fit eight-to-ten personnel members.
They’re adding an extension to the existing building, where they’ll move to a larger kitchen and expand the fitness center.
The current kitchen will be demolished to expand the bedroom, locker room and lounge areas.
We’re told the building dates back to the 1950s, and the last upgrade was nearly a decade ago.
Construction coordinator Andy Chamberland says they completed as much of the project as they could before shutting it down.
“We put the façade up. We got it dried in. We made sure appliances, cabinets, fixtures were in stock and or ordered ahead of time so it wouldn’t affect the project and minimize the time of the shutdown,” said Chamberland.
Chamberland says they’re working with a $350,000 budget, funded through federal CARES money.
Chief Wormser says personnel have been temporarily reassigned to other stations throughout the Hill City.
Residents living near Station Three will not see a major delay in emergency response time.
“That change is very small. We minimize that to the best of our ability, much the same way it could be minimized if [firefighters] were already on a call from the station and a call came into the neighborhood,” said Wormser.
Renovations are scheduled to be complete by the end of December.