Apalachin Fire Station to Be Demolished, Replaced

An aging Tioga County fire station is to be torn down within the next few months to make for a new building.

Voters in the Apalachin Fire District have approved a $2.5 million dollar plan to construct a facility to replace the old station at 230 Pennsylvania Avenue.

A proposal to borrow money for the project passed by a margin of 161 to 89 in a special vote November 17.

Residents of the fire district in 2010 rejected two plans to spend $4.5 million to modernize and expand the existing station.

Peter Damico, who chairs the Apalachin board of fire commissioners, said it was determined that demolishing the old building and replacing it with a new pre-engineered building would be less expensive.

The plan that's now been approved would raise taxes by an average of $61 annually for homeowners in the fire district.

Work on the site is expected to start in the spring. Damico said the new station could be operational next fall.