Staff Writer

 Saco Mayor Ron Michaud is encouraging residents to share ideas for the future of Central Fire Station.

The Saco Fire Department will move to its new station in early April, leaving empty the 73-year-old brick fire station on Thornton Avenue. Voters in 2009 approved a $5.9 million bond to build a 21,660-square-foot fire station on North Street across from Young School.

Fire officials said the useful life of the 1938 Central Fire Station is over. The building needs work to fix crumbling concrete and remove asbestos tiles. Fire Chief John Duross said the new station will allow the department more room for equipment, storage and training exercises. Its new location also will allow fire trucks to avoid downtown traffic when crews respond to calls in other parts of the city.

Duross said the project is on schedule and slightly under budget. He expects the department to move into the building after April 7, though crews will be on site until Memorial Day putting final touches on the building and landscaping.

“There’s a lot of excitement in the air,” Duross said. “People are really looking forward to it.”

While Duross and his department are focused on preparing for the move and planning new response routes, city councilors are grappling with the future of the old station.

Michaud said a seven-member ad-hoc committee examined the future of the old station and recommended the council put out a request for proposals. No proposals were received during that time, though the council in December reviewed two plans submitted for the future of the building. A plan from Saco Spirit suggested the building be used for a mix of commercial and art space. Users could include a year-round farmers market, studios for artists and office space for nonprofit groups.

The council also reviewed a proposal from mason Nate Libby to buy the building for $40,000. He proposed renovating the building and using the first floor for his business and leasing office space on the second floor.

Michaud said the council seems to be leaning toward selling the building, though a final decision is not expected soon.

“What we need to do now is get a commercial property appraisal then market it as a sale item,” Michaud said.

City Assessor Daniel Sanborn said the assessed value of the building and quarter-acre lot is $498,100.

Michaud said he wants to have as much public input as possible during the process.

“My feeling is it needs to be openly discussed,” he said. “We don’t want to work in a vacuum.”

Michaud said he sees no reason to rush to a decision about the future of the building. He said finding a buyer or new use for the building could be slow because of the economic climate. Michaud encourages residents to contact him or a city councilor to share their thoughts on the building.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.