Save Our Historic Firehouse, Inc. Fairborn, OH

02/21/2023

Good news! Never doubt how our support of this building being reused, saved it. We have different leaders in the city now and I'm thankful for that because in the past this historic structure was written off as a waste of time and money.

A general contractor has been picked for the renovation of Fairborn’s former Fire Station #1, a project earmarked for up to $2 million in federal funds.

01/10/2020

Happy 2020 from your favorite old Firehouse! We hope you have a great year and that good things are on the horizon for this beautiful building!

04/08/2019

Hello everyone! Thank you for all of the recent "Likes" and for your interest in saving Old Station 1!!

We will be contacting the City this week about the safety of Old Station 1 and the Theater. We have been informed by several concerned citizens that both buildings have been broken into recently!

Our question include:

Why does it take passersby and neighbors to report opened doors/windows or broken glass for the authorities to know someone has been in either building?

Why isn't there an alarm on these buildings?

Is it true someone tried to start a fire in the Theater recently?

What is the plan for these buildings?

If city leaders can plan a roundabout (that is getting very mixed reactions) they can plan something great for 2 buildings that are important to the history of Fairfield and Fairborn!!

If anyone thinks the citizens of Fairborn will sit back and watch these buildings be destroyed by vandals or arsonists they are mistaken!

01/31/2017

A little history of the Firehouse courtesy of Dayton Daily News. If you have suggestions for the City or any opinion on the possibility of a brew pub please call and make your voice heard. It has been 11 years since the station moved to their new location. We're ready to see something exciting happen. This spring the Falcon Motel and Sunset Inn will be demolished. Many residents want to see buildings renovated rather than sent to a landfill!

This week on The Buildings of Dayton, I'm going to tell you the story of Fairborn Old Fire Station #...

12/26/2016

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone from Save Our Historic Firehouse.

We always see an increase in "likes" when something in Fairborn is demolished. We will continue to fight for the firehouse but we need your help.

After the first of the year we would like to start having meetings again. If you are interested in attending please send us a private message so we can easily keep track and plan for how much space we will need to reserve.

06/17/2016

Great news!

A proposal to convert part of the Dayton Arcade into housing has secured a whopping $20 million in tax credits.

03/27/2016

I hope you have a safe and happy Easter with your friends and family!

We have gotten hundreds of "Likes" in the last 6 months. It does my heart good to know that so many still care about old station 1 on Broad St!

Unfortunately it has now been 10 years since the station was closed and it has been used as city storage since then. While I appreciate the work of the newly formed Fairborn Historical Society. It irritates me that they have not advocated for saving our historical structures.

It IS time to give us what was promised before we voted in favor of the levy to build new stations in 2006. Non-profits and projects like this need the support of our elected and appointed officials. As of now we have gotten nothing more than empty promises of support.

We the people of Fairborn can make this happen. Not just for the firehouse but for the Theater and any other buildings that may be deemed "not worth it" in the future.

01/19/2016

Check this out. Jackson Galaxy from the Animal Planet show "My Cat From Hell," stopped by Station 4 earlier today to interview the crew on third platoon about a fire from January 2015 where they saved a cat. The show will air on Animal Planet sometime in March or April.

12/29/2015

This happened in Miamisburg on Christmas Day...

The Plaza Theatre in downtown Miamisburg is expected to reopen today, the 96th anniversary of its first showing, following a renovation project.

12/22/2015

There are many reasons for what has happened to Detroit, Michigan but the devastation left behind is sad to see. The large number of homes and in some cases entire blocks left abandoned for decades is something most of us cannot comprehend. Some neighborhoods are ghost towns and look scarier than many haunted houses.

The Ransom Gillis house was built in 1876 which makes it only 8 years older than our Firehouse. Like many other houses in the same neighborhood, it has been empty for decades. The roof fell in and fire and vandals damaged it. Even in such a desperate state the house was actually used in several movies including Beverly Hills Cop, Four Brothers and the upcoming Batman vs. Superman.

Starting as early as the 1970's there were groups and organizations that planned to resurrect the Ransom Gillis house and others in the Brush Park section of Detroit. Those plans were not successful. However, with support of many the Ransom Gillis hosted an open house on Nov. 1st. This is an example of an extreme case of blight. This structure was so much worse than the buildings residents of Fairborn wish to see saved. The Ransom Gillis needed windows, flooring, walls, porches, doors, plumbing and electrical.

The one thing these structures do have in common is people in the community who care. Viewing the pictures of this house through the decades brings with it a lot of emotion. Built in the late 1800's, these grand homes were a symbol of pride and accomplishment. We can only imagine how the builders and families that lived in these homes would feel to see them ravaged by time, fire and nature. However, to see the amazing transformation of the Ransom Gillis house on the day of its open house is inspiring. This home serves as reminder of what is possible.

When people tell you that, a structure “is not worth saving” or that “it is just too expensive” feel free to inform them that there are successful renovations happening across the country and ask them why they think that is not possible right here in Fairborn,

If you would like to know more about this renovation it can be seen on the most recent season of Rehab Addict with Nicole Curtis on HGTV or http://63alfred.com/. You can also learn more about the Brush Park Neighborhood project through the Brush Park Preservation Society.

11/23/2015

There are some exciting things going on in Detroit. Articles like this remind me that if these buildings can be saved there is hope for the Firehouse. Luckily, we have not seen the kind of abandonment and blight that cities like Detroit have experienced. However, we need more focus on preserving the things that mean something to our history. Fairborn needs investors willing to invest IN our town and not just build around it. Those of us who want to see the Firehouse and other buildings from Fairfield, Osborn and Fairborn saved for future generations can't stop caring or all we will have is pictures and memories.

I have been researching another project in Detroit and will be posting about it soon.

The abandoned hotel will be redeveloped into a zero-energy building