The New Rochelle Fire Department held a Rededication Ceremony on Monday, June 3 for Fire Station No. 2, located on Webster Avenue in the heart of New Rochelle’s West End. In attendance were City officials, City Manager Chuck Strome, Mayor Noam Bramson, and Fire Chief Andrew Sandor. Westchester County Fire Commissioner John M. Cullen was guest speaker.
The nearly century-old station had been closed since summer 2018 for a $1.9 million capital improvement project, which included major alterations to rehabilitate the structure and increase energy efficiency. This was the first major firehouse repair since the 1980s.
“As was the case when Station 2 was built 96 years ago, New Rochelle is again on the rise. It is fitting and proper that our infrastructure move forward as well,” said Fire Chief Andrew Sandor. “To that end, the renovation of Station 2 is more than appropriate for our fire department as we strive to meet the emergency services demands of a growing city.”
“Today we celebrate the transformation of this firehouse and welcome it to the future,” said City Manager Charles B. Strome III. “It is a safe home to our firefighters; and an upgraded facility to our community.”
Mayor Noam Bramson noted, “To serve all of us effectively, our First Responders need and deserve facilities that are safe, modern, and efficient. So I am proud that New Rochelle's 10-year capital plan makes an unprecedented investment in infrastructure, including vital public safety infrastructure like Fire Station 2.”
Affectionately known as “The Rock”, Station 2 was designed nearly 100 years ago by famed architect Frederick Winter and constructed by local master builders M. Barnett and Sons using the “Mission Revival” style popular in architecture in the early 1900s.
Renovations to the station included a new basement slab and footing, new heating, ventilation and electrical systems, upgraded kitchen and second floor living quarters, and new roof. To accommodate modern apparatus, the front bays were widened to accommodate a single rectangular door.
This project was coordinated by New Rochelle Fire Department, New Rochelle Department of Public Works, D&B Engineers, Grasso Brothers General Contracting Inc., Consolidated Hudson Electric, Southeast Plumbing Corp, S&L Plumbing and Heating Corp., and Tectonic Engineering.