SLP's Second New Fire Station Up and Running

It's been a month of firsts for the St. Louis Park Fire Department.

After on May 12, the department welcomed in the City Council on Tuesday for a tour of the new Station No. 1, which has been in-use for a few weeks.

Station No. 1 will get its public welcome on June 12, as part of the annual Fire Department Open House.

Together, the city's two new fire stations cost about $15.5 million and took about a year to build. Fire chief Luke Stemmer said the former stations—which were both more than 40 years old—were beginning to show significant structural wear and tear. This included cracks on the floor underneath the fire trucks.

Additionally, the old stations were not constructed to current Americans With Disabilities Act standards, nor did they originally have women's restrooms, as the female firefighter was not commonplace when they went up.

The new Station No. 1 will be the hub of the department, as the administration office has moved there from . The station will also serve as the city's command center in case of an emergency. 

Additionally, public space is available within the building on a reservation basis.