Crown Hill is closer to getting a new, state of the art fire station.

This morning, firefighters, neighbors and city officials gathered for the groundbreaking of the new station 35. The new two-story building will replace the 1920 structure that was built when fire equipment was horse-drawn.

This new facility is funded by the Fire Facilities and Emergency Response Levy that passed in November 2003. It will have three bays, instead of two and will even have a kitchen, a definite upgrade from the current station. The architectural firm Rice, Fergus, Miller is designing the upgrade. Demolition on the current station starts on Sept. 1 and construction should be completed next year. In the meantime, Station 35 has temporarily moved to the former Crown Hill School property that was purchased by Seattle Parks earlier this year.