The Elmira Fire Department’s historic Roe Avenue Fire Station No. 5 will soon undergo some critical upgrades to the building.
The original wooden flooring has deteriorated and will need to be removed and replaced. The station was built in 1911 at a time when fire apparatus were horse drawn. Over the years, the building has been modified to accommodate modern fire apparatus. The one exception is the flooring.
Cribbing had been placed in the basement and replaced over the years to support the weight of the apparatus; however, 113 years of water, slush, and salt has taken its toll on the floor. The unsafe wooden floor will be removed and a concrete wall will be constructed in a portion of the basement. This section of the basement will be filled in, and a new concrete floor with drains will be poured.
This project will begin in early April. The Roe Avenue Engine Company will be temporarily displaced for approximately eight weeks. Engine 5 will be on duty at Headquarters, 101 West Second Street, and will still respond to all emergencies throughout their district and the rest of the city.
