LSFD Downtown Fire Station

Fire station with fire truck


In 2024, Historic Downtown’s Station 63 fire house at the intersection of East Loveland Avenue/State Route 48 will be relocated to 220 E. Loveland Ave. At this site, a modern fire station will be constructed. 

“I would like to thank the citizens’ working group who helped evaluate the new location. The station will provide much needed safety upgrades for our firefighters and will help us provide service to the community for decades to come,” said Loveland-Symmes Fire Department Chief Otto Huber. 

What are the building specs?

The new station will be more than 10,000 square feet. The building will be one story with garage door heights of 14 feet. The station will feature:

  • Multiple road entry points (O’Bannon Avenue and East Loveland Avenue)
  • More lot space to maneuver equipment
  • 2 pull-through apparatus bays
  • 1 back-in bay
  • Training rooms
  • Ample storage for fire and EMS equipment
  • Full living quarters
  • Office space
  • Public restrooms. The building will be one story with garage door heights of 14 feet.

Why build?

Financially, it did not make sense to renovate the existing firehouse. Multiple safety upgrades were needed. For instance, today’s code would require an elevator to be installed — a huge expense for a building lacking other needed modern amenities. The current station has no pull-through bays, and its intersection location poses challenges. 

How will construction be funded?

Typically, government buildings, including fire stations, are not eligible for state or federal grants. However, city staff obtained a unique loan to fund the estimated $5.4-million station. Staff applied for the United States Department of Agriculture’s Community Facility (CF) Loan Program, which provides funding for essential community facilities at competitive rates. The CF Program’s interest rate could be nearly 1.5% less than the rate the city would secure utilizing standard bond financing. 

When this is coupled with the project’s estimated cost, the savings over the life of the loan could be substantial — estimated at more than $1 million. By securing a competitive interest rate, the projected savings will allow LSFD to stretch out fire levies as much as possible.