VIDEO: A defunct fire station could soon be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Art Deco style Engine House 2 on South Federal Avenue was completed in 1939, at a cost of $34,520, part of which was funded through a Public Works Administration grant. Upon completion until it was closed in 1973, the fire house provided round the clock service to the then rapidly expanding area south of Downtown. After it was closed, the building was transferred to the city's Public Works department and was used for storage. The roof, which fell into disrepair over the years, was replaced last year.
As part of hosting the 2022 Preserve Iowa Summit next year, the city's Housing Preservation Commission is undertaking efforts to restore the building, as well as selecting an architectural historian to develop an online and digital content package featuring images, audio, video and narrative text describing the history and significance of the building.