Fire Sale: Vacant Firehouses on the Market Around the City

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

Rogers Park — Across Chicago, 11 empty fire stations are now up for sale, according to city officials.

Two of these buildings are located on the Far North Side. One sits at 5714 N. Ridge Blvd. in Edgewater, and the other is at 1723 W. Greenleaf Ave. in Rogers Park.

"The city has a number of police and fire stations that no longer serve public safety needs and are available for redevelopment," said Peter Strazzabosco, deputy commissioner with the Department of Housing and Economic Development.

He explained that each property has different zoning rules, but the city is open to any feasible development idea—whether it's a restaurant, an office for a nonprofit, or something else entirely.

"There’s definitely a lot of interest in these vacant stations," he added. "They have a lot of potential for new uses."

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

Strazzabosco noted that the Greenleaf Avenue station has been vacant since 2009, when the firefighters there relocated to a new station on Clark Street. The city valued the building and land at $250,000. Moore mentioned that the site is currently zoned for residential use, but he would support a zoning change if a community-backed project came forward.

Earlier, the Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society showed interest in moving into the building, but ultimately decided they couldn’t afford the necessary renovations.

The deadline for submitting bids is 4 p.m. on May 8.

The firehouse on Ridge Boulevard, a Chicago Landmark built in 1928 and adorned with terra cotta trim, was appraised at $350,000. It's zoned for small-scale retail development, and the city will begin accepting bids for this property next week.

However, any sale of city-owned property must first be approved by the City Council.

In Bronzeville, the council is close to finalizing a 10-year lease for a vacant firehouse to be transformed into a museum honoring African-American firefighters.

Other firehouses have already been sold. For example, one near the Damen Brown Line "L" stop 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 said his zoning and land use advisory committee will review all proposals for the Greenleaf Avenue firehouse.

"I look forward to sharing the ideas for the future of this site with you soon," he told his constituents.

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