JEFFERSONTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Jeffersontown Fire Department's station off Watterson Trail is getting a new look. Construction began Feb. 1.Â
"It is time," Jeffersontown Fire Department Assistant Chief Chris Rader said. "We had leaking issues, we had rotting wood."
Rader said this project coincides with the Jeffersontown streetscape project to create a new look for the area, as well as provide better living spaces for those who work at the station.Â
According to Rader, the two existing structures on the property are several decades old and have had very few renovations while the community around the department has grown.Â
"Our smaller bay was built in 1962. You can see the cinder blocks were laid actually by firefighters," he said. "The newer bay was built in the mid-1980s."
The work will be broken into two phases.
Phase 1 is the exterior project, which is happening now until mid-July.
Phase 2 will begin after that, focused on interior projects such as new ceiling tiles, staining the concrete and other upgrades.Â
A noticeable change for Phase 1 is the brick being ripped from the existing structures.Â
"We are going to take the entire front façade off of this building along the side," Rader said. "It will be new brick, new windows, new doors."
Rader has blueprints and renderings showing what the new exterior will look like by this summer.Â
He said there will likely be a ground-breaking within the next two years for another fire station in the area, which would be Jeffersontown's fourth station.
"20 years ago, if we made 325 runs in the entire year that was a good year, and now we're talking between 12-13,000 runs a year," he said.Â
Rader also noted 20 years ago runs did not include fire service taking over EMS.
Rader said this remodel will not impact service for firefighters or EMS workers.
Jeffersontown Fire Department is currently hiring. Applications are due Wednesday at noon. Rader said the department is looking to add four new recruits.
Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
