The city paid $321,000 for the property at 1710 SE 39th Ave, and plan to complete a seismically sound station by the summer of 2002. City officials say they will try and find somebody willing to move a house on the property that is listed on the national inventory of potentiall historic sites.

At that time the new station is complete, the city's oldest operating fire station – at SE 35th Avenue and Belmont Street – will be shuttered. The station is more than 100 years old and is the oldest operating station on the West Coast.

The fire stattion's future is in question, however. The voter approved bond providing money for the new station requires the city to sell the property.