Washington Informer: Engine 25 Reopens in Southeast

Whenever I pass the firehouse I always think two things 1) what a beautiful building with such interesting history 2) how wonderful it would be if these historic buildings were preserved and maintained in all of Congress Heights !

Excerpts from the Washington Informer article, to view entire article click HERE.

Regarding the renovation:

"The Engine 25 Fire House has been quiet for the past two years; its personnel displaced and working out of station 33 while a complete overhaul and renovation took place. On Fri., Oct. 10, Mayor Adrian Fenty and Chief Dennis Rubin held a ribbon cutting ceremony, as Engine 25 reopened its doors.“It’s like coming home,” said Captain Richard Zegoitz, who is serving in his second stint at Engine 25, which is located on Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. in Southeast. “Everything here has been redone, from new lockers and windows to new computers, countertops, and the kitchen and bathrooms.”

Regarding upcoming progress in Congress Heights:

"Also pleased to see Engine 25 reopen was James Bunn, executive director of the Ward 8 Business Council. Not only is the Bunn Building right next door, but Bunn’s son is a firefighter at Engine 25.“This station is like part of me. I’ve been here for 38 years. This is my community, and I think we are on the right track here in Ward 8,” Bunn said. Bunn sees the reopening of Engine 25 as the beginning of an economic resurgence of Ward 8.

We want Ward 8 and Congress Heights to be one of the best and most livable places in the city. We are starting to see a change. In the next 10 years, we should see about $15.5 billion coming into Ward 8, and we are on the right track with upgrading and renovating this area and bringing in new offices and development projects,” said Bunn, who wants Southeast D.C. to become a “must see” destination for tourists. The Engine 25 building, erected in 1903, is a historical site, requiring the preservation of some of the original structure during the renovation, including the stairs. The renovation of the three-story brick building, with its top floor loft and cathedral ceiling, took two years to complete. It cost just over $3 million, and was paid for by the fire department. "