On Savannah Highway, out beyond the car dealerships and across the street from a barber college, lies one of the most significant projects for the city of Charleston and its firefighters.
The site is an empty L-shaped lot for now. It’s bordered by a doughnut shop, a park and a quiet residential neighborhood where neatly subdivided homes line gentle, swooping streets along a curve in the Stono River.
But this is sacred soil. On Friday, city officials will break ground on a replacement for Fire Station 11 at this site. The new, larger facility will allow the Fire Department to better serve a West Ashley area that continues to grow rapidly.
And it also serves as a reminder, along with neighboring Charleston Nine Memorial Park, of the tragedy and sacrifice that took place on this stretch of Savannah Highway during the Sofa Super Store fire more than 11 years ago.