Gainesville breaks ground on new Fire Station #3

Press release from the City of Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Gainesville City leaders, project partners, and community members gathered to break ground on a new Fire Station #3, a public safety project designed to strengthen fire and emergency response services across the city.

The 16,773-square-foot firehouse with three engine bays is being built near the intersection of NE Eighth Avenue and Waldo Road, just west of the existing station. Once completed, the new facility will replace the current station with infrastructure that supports today’s emergency response operations.

“We’re proud to move forward with projects like this one,” said Gainesville Interim City Manager Andrew Persons. “These types of improvements strengthen our community today while putting in place the essential resources needed to benefit the Gainesville of tomorrow.”

The new station includes offices, bunk rooms, kitchen and dining space, fitness facilities, equipment storage, and dedicated areas that enable firefighters to train, recover, and return to service efficiently. City officials said the replacement facility reflects the growing needs of the community. Gainesville Fire Rescue responds to more than 29,000 calls for service each year.

“The existing station has served Gainesville well for many years, but today’s fire service demands facilities designed around modern equipment, larger apparatus, advanced medical response, and the operational realities of crews working 24-hour shifts,” said Gainesville City Commissioner Bryan Eastman, District IV.

The new firehouse is one component of the NE Eighth Avenue and Waldo Road – Citizens Field Revitalization Project, a transformational initiative to modernize the northeast municipal park complex.

“As we continue investing in our Eighth and Waldo Initiative, our Safe By Design Initiative, our parks, transportation, and neighborhood infrastructure, we’re building a stronger future while honoring the communities that have called this area home for generations,” said Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward.

The Gainesville City Commission approved the new Fire Station #3 project in 2023. In April, commissioners approved a site work agreement for the station, and a construction agreement is expected to come before the commission at a meeting in August. The estimated construction cost is $14 million, and completion is expected by the end of 2027.

The project is funded by Streets, Stations and Strong Foundations, the half-cent infrastructure surtax approved by Alachua County voters to support road repair, fire stations and public facilities, and affordable housing.

Investing in the maintenance and improvement of City infrastructure and facilities advances the goals of the City’s strategic plan.