The Iowa City City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a purchase agreement to relocate Fire Station 3 to a 1.5-acre lot in a new subdivision on American Legion Road.

The original east-side Fire Station 3, built in 1972, currently does not meet the modern facility standards and lacks sufficient space to accommodate a contemporary fire vehicle. Fire Station 3 will be rebuilt in the new subdivision, Community View, with a purchase agreement costing $420,000 with Summit Ridge, L.L.C..

City Manager Geoff Fruin said the price was determined based on an appraisal that was solicited for the parcel, and that staff recommended council approval before moving forward with the purchase agreement.

Fire Chief John Grier said rebuilding Fire Station 3, in addition to the opening of Fire Station 5 on South Gilbert St., will enhance response time coverage in the central, east, and south districts of Iowa City, which currently experience a high number of calls and protracted response times. 

“We are consistently looking at how we can improve our services and this opportunity will definitely help us do that,” Grier said. “Coupled with the building and staffing of Fire Station 5 on South Gilbert Street, this will definitely increase our abilities to meet our time standards for our calls for services in all those districts.”