Fire Station No. 2’s relocation passed with over 80% of the community’s vote, and now it’s time to start relocating. Planning should be completed by fall 2026, and the new station will be fully operational by fall 2027. During the transition period, the station will continue to operate as normal. The total estimated cost for the project is $10,456,128.

“We can’t thank the community enough,” Fire Chief Rich Higgins said. “The public turnout for voting was just amazing. We are so thankful for the community’s support. We are excited to serve them and glad we have an opportunity to do that, even more so once we move to a better location.”

The Fire Station is partnering with Brown Reynolds Watford Architects (BRW), who have built over 400 fire stations, but this will be the firm’s first ever build in Iowa. 

The city will keep the community updated throughout the build process, possibly setting up a time-lapse camera on the construction site. The Station is working on putting up a sign displaying the station’s logo and the ISU logo as a thank-you to ISU, but also so people can see the future property location.  

Higgins received several calls from buyers interested in purchasing the old property on Welch Avenue. He says that since Campustown is really vibrant right now, the property will be a fast seller. 

“I’m excited to see what’s going to happen to the area of the building and whether they keep the building or start over fresh,” Higgins said. “It’ll be exciting to see, but it’s their choice what comes. It’ll be cool to see something done with the station for nostalgia. Since it is on the corner of Welch and Chamberlain, it is a great spot for a business, the sky is the limit, there are a lot of opportunities to go vertical. I think it’ll just add value to this area, which is already doing really well. Whatever comes in is going to be a great addition.”

For more information on Fire Station No. 2, visit the city of Ames webpage.