Fire Station 35 in Crown Hill has been included in the renovations announced last week by Mayor Greg Nickels for the modernization of 11 fire stations across the city to begin this year.

The projects are funded by the 2003 Fire Facilities and Emergency Response Levy.

With concerns from residents last fall of it’s temporary location on the playfield of the former Crown Hill School, plans have been negotiated to avoid disruption of any student sport activities or events during the temporary stations' stay.

Leases were signed and the station will be moving onto the property this March.

Fire Station 35 needs the temporary location while the current station at 8729 15th Ave. N.W. is rebuilt to meet earthquake safety standards and modern firefighting practices. It houses one engine company and a reserve engine.

“Seattle residents had the foresight to vote for the Fire Levy in 2003, and now they can see their tax dollars at work in their neighborhoods,” said Nickels in a statement. “By building these projects now, we better protect the public and put people to work in jobs that pay well.”

After Seattle Parks had been approved last December for the purchase of the Crown Hill Elementary playfield, priced at $5.4 million, negotiations are still ongoing with the Seattle School District, as to when they will make final decisions for ownership.

“We had an open house in Crown Hill in November or December and our staff was present at the meeting along with the fire department,” said Dewey Potter, communications representative for the parks department. “Since then we and the fire department have been working with the school district because parks doesn’t own the property yet.”

Working closely with Small Faces, who had finalized a purchase price for the former Crown Hill Elementary School building from the Seattle School District, both the parks and fire departments are making sure the presence of the fire station works for everybody.

“We’re scheduling (so) that no kids sport activities would be disrupted,” said Potter. “Expect them (fire department) to be there for a year.”

The parks department has plans on closing on the property later this month.

As for the affects on the fire department when the ownership of the property is switched, David Tucker, media relations for the Seattle School District, said regardless of who owns the property, plans for the temporary station location will not be disrupted.

Allison Espiritu may be reached at 783-1244 or allisone@robinsonnews.com.