City Wants to Know: What would you do with an old fire station?
Eau Claire’s former Fire Station No. 10 has been silent since the summer of 2018, when the wail of sirens and the rush of firefighters shifted to a new station a few blocks away.
After a previous attempt to sell the 70-year-old, three-level brick building to Valley Media Works (formerly known as Community Television) fell through last year, the City of Eau Claire has once again put out a request for proposals seeking potential buyers. The building, at 559 N. Hastings Way, has an estimated market value of $365,000 and a highly visible spot at the corner of Hastings and Birch Street. Included in the roughly 12,000 square feet of usable space are offices, truck bays, living space, and even a tower where you can hang hoses to dry. (Sadly, the fire poles have been removed.)
If you’ve got a bright idea for this unusual space – and the willingness to put in a reasonable bid for it – the city wants to hear from you.
A detailed request for proposals document can be found online at tinyurl.com/FireStationRFP or by contacting Kristine Basom at (715) 839-4905 or Kristine.Basom@EauClaireWI.gov. Want to check out the place in person?
Site walk-throughs are slated for 9-10am on Dec. 12 and 1-2pm Dec. 19. Proposals – which should be is a sealed envelope labeled “559 North Hastings Way” – must be postmarked or delivered in person to City Hall no later than 4pm Friday, Jan. 3. Happy bidding!
