Excerpts from theChicagotribune.com:

Highland Park officials showed a conceptual plan for a new Ravinia Fire Station to replace the current cramped and antiquated station that dates to 1929.

The city is proposing to replace its current station at 692 Burton Avenue with a new two-story, 14,000-square-foot building. The plan suggested for the site could be enlarged by acquiring two homes near the northeast corner of Highland Place and Pleasant Avenue and making use of a portion of a city-owned parking lot.

Public parking spaces would be available on the Ravinia Fire Station site. Construction of the new Fire Station 32 would not begin until at least 2022.

City officials say space is so cramped at the nearly 90-year-old station that it’s difficult to maneuver equipment and apparatus in and out.

The city previously considered several other locations for an enlarged Ravinia Fire Station, including the northern portion of Brown Park on the south side of Roger Williams Avenue west of St. Johns Avenue.

Fire Chief Dan Pease said the architect raised concerns about constructing the station that close to the Ravinia train station and Metra tracks because a major accident could knock out the station and personnel.

thanks Dan

(Williams Architects)

Tags: Fire Chief Dan Pease, Highland Park Fire Department, Highland Park Fire Department Station 32, new fire station proposed for Highland Park, Ravinia Fire Station