With strong commercial and residential growth along the Gate Parkway corridor, the city of Jacksonville will be building a new fire station in the area.
The city has closed on property on Gate Parkway near Burnt Mill Road, according to District 11 City Councilman Danny Becton.
“Today marks an accomplishment in which residents within District 11 are another step closer to having new fire and rescue services in the very near future,” Becton said in a statement issued Friday.
Becton said $4.4 million was appropriated in the 2017 – 2018 budget for construction of Fire Station #63, along with “additional resources” to create Fire & Rescue Company #63.
Becton said the new station will be built across from the new development called The Southside Quarter and next to a new mixed-use development named The Palms. The site is approximately 2.72 acres and was purchased from Nouveau Management Group, LLC for $1,757,740, according to Becton.
“Time is about public safety and lives saved when it comes to responding to medical emergencies,” said Becton. “This new facility will not only provide what we expect in the delivery of caring for area residents but this facility is badly needed to take the burden off of the surrounding stations that are spread way too thin.”
Becton said $250,000 has also been allocated to build a temporary station, which is expected to be done within 90 days and will be near the site of the permanent station.
“The [temporary] site will be built on land that is considered part of a JEA easement for which the city is purchasing as part of this sale,” Chief of Fire & Rescue Kurt Wilson said in a statement.
