Midtown Atlanta fire station to offer apartments for rent above it

ATLANTA - Atlanta Fire Station 15 on Tenth Street in Midtown is being planned with apartments on top of it. Some who live and work in the area found that surprising.

"Why put it on top of the fire station? That don't make no sense," said Nile Hollis.

"I think it's different. You'll see a mall or a Starbucks, underneath apartment buildings, but a fire station?" said Terrance Rodney Lucas.

The plan is to completely renovate the fire station and build affordable apartments above it. City officials say there will be a significant number of apartments, somewhere in the range of 80 to 120 or more.

While other cities have put housing on top of fire stations, this is something new for Atlanta.

"This is the latest effort to use innovation to bring affordable housing to the heart of Midtown," said Courtney English, chief policy officer for city of Atlanta.

City leaders say it will be a big win all the way around. It will enhance the quality of fire and emergency services for the community while also addressing affordable housing needs for those in Midtown.

"Make good use of public land, create additional density in the heart of Midtown and bring affordable housing to a neighborhood that hasn't had it in a long time," said English.

"Living in Midtown is generally not cheap, and it's a great place to live, so people who otherwise don't have the means can now live here. I think that's a great thing," said James Wilhelmi, who lives nearby.

This is all part of Mayor Andre Dickens' goal to build or preserve 20,000 affordable housing units in 8 years.

There are still a lot of details to be worked out, but if all goes as planned, construction could begin early next year.