The construction of a new Engine 17 firehouse to replace the existing 1928 structure in Dorchester’s Meeting House Hill began Monday with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Mayor Michelle Wu, Fire Commissioner Paul Burke, and other officials.
“This groundbreaking reaffirms our commitment to investing in our City workers and residents by ensuring they have the infrastructure and tools to help their communities,” Wu said at the event, according to a statement from her office. “The current firehouse opened almost a century ago, and no longer fully serves the needs of firefighters.”
Today was an exciting day for the BFD & the City of Boston as we broke ground on a new Meetinghouse Hill Firehouse, Engine 17, Ladder 7 District 7. pic.twitter.com/0FyLGa2XKr
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) February 7, 2023
The new firehouse, which is being built next to the existing one, is expected to open in the spring of 2024, the statement said. It will be located at 37 East St. in a space that is currently a parking lot.
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The existing firehouse will remain in operation during its construction, the statement said. Engine 17 primarily responds to incidents in Dorchester, Roxbury, and parts of South Boston, the statement said.
The new firehouse will run on energy efficient boilers and employ red, neutral, and green zones to protect firefighters from workplace health hazards, the statement said.
“This firehouse will set a national standard for sustainable government buildings,” Burke said, according to the statement. “These green buildings will serve the neighborhoods of Boston for many years to come, protecting the health of firefighters as well as the environment.”
The city has allocated about $30 million toward the design, construction, and creation of art for the new fire station, the statement said. The city is currently selecting an artist to create a public artwork for the entrance tower of the building, and it is expected to be installed next year.
I was honored to be part of this exciting day with the @BostonFire as we broke ground on a new Meetinghouse Hill Firehouse, Engine 17, Ladder 7 District 7. #bostonfire #firstresponders #actionnotjustwords #bospoli pic.twitter.com/zGnPHyoDoc
— Erin Murphy (@ErinforBoston) February 7, 2023
Claire Law can be reached at claire.law@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @claire_law_.