Fire Sale: Vacant Firehouses Up for Grabs Across the City

April 12, 2013 | 7:29am | By Benjamin Woodard, DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

Rogers Park — The city is putting up for sale 11 abandoned fire stations, according to officials. Two of these are located on the Far North Side: one at 5714 N. Ridge Blvd. in Edgewater and another at 1723 W. Greenleaf Ave. in Rogers Park.

Peter Strazzabosco, a deputy commissioner with the Department of Housing and Economic Development, said that many of the city’s former police and fire stations no longer serve public safety functions and are now available for new uses.

He noted that each property has different zoning rules, but the city is open to any development idea that makes sense, from a restaurant to a nonprofit office space. “There's definitely a lot of interest in these buildings,” he added. “They have a lot of potential.”

Alderman Joe Moore (49th) shared in an email that he’s been working with Mayor Rahm Emanuel to find a use for the Greenleaf Avenue firehouse that would best benefit the local neighborhood.

The Greenleaf firehouse has been empty since 2009, when the crew moved to a new station on Clark Street. It was appraised at $250,000, and while the land is currently zoned for residential use, Moore said he would support a zoning change if the community backs a project.

Earlier, the Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society considered moving into the building, but they decided it was too expensive to renovate.

The deadline for submitting bids is 4 p.m. on May 8. Meanwhile, the firehouse on Ridge Boulevard, a Chicago Landmark built in 1928 with terra cotta trim, is valued at $350,000 and is zoned for small-scale retail. Bidding will begin next week.

However, any sale of city property must be approved by the City Council. In Bronzeville, the council is nearing approval of a 10-year lease for a vacant firehouse to be turned into a museum honoring African-American firefighters.

Other firehouses have already been sold, like one near the Damen Brown Line stop, which is being converted into a single-family home. Several south-side firehouses, along with other historic buildings, are listed on the city’s website.

Moore mentioned that his zoning and land use advisory committee will review proposals for the Greenleaf Avenue site. “I look forward to sharing the ideas with you soon,” he told his constituents.

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