Mayor Buckhorn Breaking Ground on Sulphur Springs Fire Station

Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Tampa community leaders will break ground today on Fire Station No. 11 in the Sulphur Springs area just north of Seminole Heights.

The groundbreaking will begin at 10 a.m. at the fire station, 1500 W. Waters Avenue.

“As a city, we put a premium on keeping the public safe, and that means that we have to give our firefighters and first responders the tools to get the job done.  Station No. 11 is aging and out of date,” said Mayor Bob Buckhorn in a news release. “The new station will help ensure that the residents of Sulphur Springs and the surrounding neighborhoods get the quality services they expect and deserve.”

The station will replace the former Station No. 11 at 710 E. Fairbanks Street, which was built in 1959 after the City of Tampa annexed Sulphur Springs in 1954.

The new station - which costs $1.6 million and is funded through a community investment tax - will serve Sulphur Springs, North Tampa, Lowry Park, Forest Hills and other areas nearby.

The 8,660 square foot building, which will be completed by December, has high efficiency lighting and controls, solar-powered exterior lighting, an energy-efficient HVAC system, solar-powered water heating and uses recycled materials.

What do you think of the Sulphur Springs area getting a new fire station? Tell us in the comments.