Highland Avenue Fire House

The Highland Avenue Fire House in Niagara Falls, NY was built in 1917. It is a two-story, brick building with “stepped parapet and roundels.” It has been described as “the best of civic architecture” and “[a]n excellent, existing example of a largely intact, early 20th century fire house.” Formerly Niagara Falls Fire House No. 6., the 4,000 square foot building has long been vacant. In recent years, several efforts have been launched “to save [this] historically significant structure” from demolition by the city.

In 2013, Niagara Falls Community Development received a $132,000 grant from the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council to renovate the city-owned building and transform it into a trades employment center. It would house the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative and Isaiah 61 Project programming. Isaiah 61 is a local non-profit that provides training in various construction trades to unemployed and underemployed city residents.

In 2014, the Niagara Falls City Council “agreed to spend up to $500,000 in casino revenue to help Isaiah 61 […] renovate the former firehouse at 3271 Highland Ave.” An additional $50,000 was provided by a federal Housing and Urban Development Block Grant.

Chuck Schumer, the U.S. Senator for New York, also got involved in the renovation project. In 2015, he wrote a letter to Nicole Curtis, the host of the popular HGTV program Rehab Addict, which detailed the mission and achievements of Isaiah 61. He then urged Curtis to come to Niagara Falls with her camera crew. “Featuring this project on Rehab Addict,” Schumer wrote, “would bring attention to this fantastic effort, which seeks to both renovate an important building and improve the surrounding community.”

The renovation project has since stalled. While there are no structural problems with the fire house, the rising renovation costs may be cause for the delay. Those involved with the project believe that a successful renovation could be “the gateway for renewal.” The trades employment center would boost the local economy and provide employment opportunities for city residents. For now, the Highland Avenue Fire House stands as a gateway to both a storied past and a hopeful future.

Hope L. Russell, Ph.D.