City Selling Old Capitol Drive Fire Station
Two bidders vying for property.
2509 W. Capitol Dr. Photo from the Department of City Development.
The Department of City Development is looking to sell a former Milwaukee Fire Department station for a second time.
The city built the structure at 2509 W. Capitol Dr. in 1927 and for decades it housed Engine Company No. 36.
A request for proposals process closed earlier this week and DCD is now evaluating two bids for the property. The property was listed for $40,000.
The Capitol Drive station is located in Franklin Heights, just east of Century City. It sits on a commercial corridor, but backs up to blocks of private residences.
Two of the four other bungalow-style firehouses, ill-suited today for MFD’s large equipment, have found new life as public-facing buildings. Another is a private residence and the last, 2901 N. 30th St., remains in use by MFD, but was expanded.
The Story Hill Firehouse, 407 N. Hawley Rd., occupies the westernmost bungalow station. It opened in the former fire station in 2019. The Milwaukee Fire Education Center & Museum occupies the southside bungalow at 1615 W. Oklahoma Ave. The private residence is located at 2669 N. 47th St.
All five were designed by architect Charles Malig. The Historic Preservation Commission once considered all five for historic designation, but ultimately exempted the Capitol Drive and 47th Street firehouses.
Common Council approval is necessary to advance any sale.
Photos
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We attended St. Agnes School, now All Saints Church, across the street from this station. We went on a field trip there every year and watched the firefighters slide down the pole. It was so exciting!! Why couldn’t the city, neighborhood, church or etc. buy this and use it for a recreation center for the neighborhood children? It could have multiple uses just like a Boys and Girls club. They have a lot of good people living around there but many of the kids need help! Just a thought!
“…located in Franklin Heights…on a commercial corridor…” Wow. Nice spin. It faces on eastbound Interstate Capitol between 25th & 26th streets.
For some reason the bungalow houses were all sh*tholes by the early 1990s in contrast to several houses dating to the 1890s that are still in service. The basement TV lounge of one on Hawley was known as the Radon Room. The one on Oklahoma was the Penalty Box. In 94/95(?) the one on 30th was remodeled and a new dormitory/locker room was built on the side of the apparatus bay opposite the original living quarters. As fire apparatus grew larger, the barns just could not accommodate two big red rigs; even an engine and an ambulance is a squeeze. A more co-ed department was an additional challenge given the already cramped living quarters. I don’t recall a pole in any of the bungalows – the one on 30th does not – but while Milwaukee built their firehouses in design groups, no two are identical.