Melrose Breaks Ground On New Fire Station

MELROSE, MA — Construction is officially underway on a new fire station that will serve as the first phase of the city's multi-year Public Safety Buildings Project.

City officials and project partners recently celebrated the groundbreaking for the new Engine 2 station at 204 Tremont St., replacing the existing firehouse with a modern facility designed to improve emergency response capabilities and better support firefighters.

Subscribe

The project follows Melrose voters' approval of a $130 million debt exclusion in November 2023 to fund upgrades to the city's public safety buildings. The Tremont Street station closed earlier this year to allow construction to begin, with firefighters temporarily relocating to Central Fire Headquarters on Main Street while equipment and vehicles were distributed between headquarters and the Engine 3 station on East Foster Street.

"The City of Melrose is excited to break ground on the new Engine 2 building for our Melrose firefighters," Mayor Jen Grigoraitis said. She thanked residents, elected officials, city staff and members of the design and campaign committees for helping move the project forward.

Once complete, the two-story station will feature three apparatus bays, marking the first time the building has had three bays since it was originally constructed in 1929. Plans also include a dedicated maintenance bay, a self-contained breathing apparatus room, expanded apron space to improve vehicle access, a decontamination suite and a turnout gear locker room.

The second floor will include eight dormitories, a kitchen, dining room, laundry room, fitness room, multiple restrooms and a community room. According to project officials, the redesigned station will be about 12 percent smaller than the current building while providing a more efficient layout and updated building systems that support modern fire service operations and firefighter wellness.

Construction will take place on the occupied site, requiring careful coordination throughout the demolition and rebuilding process. Officials said extensive planning is needed to maintain emergency response operations while work is underway.

The project team includes CTA Construction Managers as construction manager, Dore + Whittier as architect, Vertex as owner's project manager, and the City of Melrose.

CTA Construction Managers Principal Pat Tompkins said building a new fire station on an active site requires detailed planning, close coordination among project partners and a strong focus on safety throughout construction.

The Engine 2 station rebuild is the first of three phases in the Public Safety Buildings Project, which is expected to continue through 2031. The second phase will focus on the Engine 3 station, while the final phase will renovate Central Fire Headquarters. The new Engine 2 station is expected to be completed in the fall of 2027.

See Also:

Meet First Responders At Melrose Public Safety Night Next Week

Melrose Launches New Online Budget Transparency Portal

Affordable Housing Lottery Opens For 6 Melrose Apartments

Melrose Ratifies New Contracts For Teachers And Paraprofessionals

Melrose Resident Recognized At State House For Supporting Local Veterans