Ye Olde Firehouse May Avoid the Wrecking Ball

Two months after residents in the Lido-Point Lookout Fire District voted against a $7.5-million bond proposal that would have allowed the district to demolish the 82-year-old Ye Olde Firehouse, Commissioner Andy Richter said the district would hold a public forum to hear residents’ input for an alternate plan. 

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Officials said the fire district would consider keeping the fire house on Lido Boulevard, one of three in the district, which needs repairs and upgrades estimated to cost $4 million, according to Newsday. Richter said:

"We recognize people's desire and need to see something with the old firehouse. Hopefully we're going to come up with something that's going to be acceptable to everybody."

While the public forum hasn’t been scheduled yet, the district will hold a meeting Tuesday to announced its $881771 for 2014 at the Main Firehouse, at 102 Lido Blvd., in Point Lookout, and a public hearing on the spending plan is scheduled at the firehouse for Oct. 15, Newsday reports.   

In addition to upgrading the Ye Old Firehouse, the $7.5 million bond that was rejected in July would also have covered the costs to restore and expand the three firehouses that were damaged during Hurricane Sandy. The district planned to replace the demolished firehouse with a one-story fire district and command center, as well as add a second floor for shows and other amenities for the volunteer firefighters at the neighboring headquarters building.