It may not make sense to everyone, but I was intrigued when I heard about a local woman that had purchased historic Fire Station 44 and completely renovated it. Because I was one of those little girls that played with fire trucks as well as dolls, I got it.
Vikki Espinosa has a particular affinity for fire stations.
“My dad was a fireman, and I grew up surrounded by firefighters,” Espinosa said. “Dad’s station was three miles from our house. We popped in all the time, and I always got to slide down the pole as a kid!”
But how did that childhood memory lead to owning a historic fire station that opened in 1959?
Espinosa had run a successful framing shop in the Bishop Arts District for years. When she had twins, she stored her tools and put on her mom’s hat for the next eight years. Once the kids were in school all day, Espinosa got a bit bored and thought it was time to get back to work.
“I love framing and began to research buildings for sale,” she said.
Of course, like most of us, a million-dollar mortgage was out of the question. Espinosa had to think out of the box. She saw an article on a historic fire station being auctioned off by the City of Dallas in 2019, drove by, loved the building, and because she’s a dedicated researcher, did a bit of reconnaissance.
“I introduced myself to the firefighters that used to work there,” Espinosa said. “They were at the new station, which is only five blocks away. I asked them what they thought about the building. They told me they loved it and had actually asked the city to renovate it, and the city said no, so it was put up for sale.”
The historic fire station was a solid building and the right price, but what sealed the deal for Espinosa was the day she went to see the interior of the building.
“There was one locker with the medical name tape still on it,” Espinosa said. “It was the only locker with a name on it, and that name was Espinosa. I took it as a sign from above.”
Espinosa bought the historic fire station and started renovations. The firefighters at the new station would drive by and always wave.
“One day, they stopped the truck, parked in their old driveway, and wanted to see what I was doing to the building,” Espinosa said. “They were surprised and excited. I asked one of the firefighters if he thought anyone would want to live here. One of the guys spoke up and said he’d have loved living here when he was at the academy because sometimes classes are at 6 am, and you cannot be late.”
To give you an idea of why this was a brilliant concept, the Dodd J. Miller Training Center at 5000 Dolphin Road is 1.4 miles away. It would take a recruit five minutes to get from their bunk here to the academy. Espinosa went to see the powers that be at the training facility. They were excited about the idea and very supportive.
Then The Pandemic Hit.
Life changed profoundly. The other significant issues were that the city could not promote a private company or release recruits’ names. So by the time trainees got to Dallas, they had found accommodation.
What an absolute shame.
Espinosa had kitted the place out perfectly for ten firefighters to live and socialize. She furnished the common living space with a pool table, a giant dining table, a huge sectional, and a chandelier! The kitchen was completely renovated, the bathrooms refurbished, and the lockers were refurbished. It was a perfect setup for a bunch of new recruits. And you know, if they knew about it, they would have loved it.
Again, what a shame.
Here is a private citizen saving a historic firehouse, with a terrific idea, in a perfect location, and her hands were tied.
So, now Espinosa is renting out the vast majority of the building. She’s staying because she has grown to love her neighborhood and her neighbors. And it’s frankly going to be the hottest neighborhood in Dallas in the next few years because it’s on the backside of Fair Park.
We all know the plans for Fair Park are going to — well, to coin an inappropriate phrase — set the neighborhood on fire!
“Most people would never see the beauty in a historic utilitarian building,” Preservation Dallas Executive Director David Preziosi said. “They are the unsung heroes of historic preservation. Reusing buildings is so important. You look at the environmental aspects alone. Adaptive reuse means you are not sending materials into a landfill, and you are not harvesting new materials, so you are saving both energy and raw materials.”
“The greenest building is the one that’s already built.”
—Carl Elefante
Adaptive reuse is one of the best and most innovative ways to preserve a historic building and the preferred alternative to demolition. It seems like a no-brainer to take an existing structure and either update it or adapt it for a new purpose. Unfortunately, a vast majority of people demolish perfectly good buildings. Historic Fire Station 44 gained a new life because of one woman. Remember that — one person can make a difference.
This 3,481-square-foot historic fire station is an excellent location for so many businesses. Coldwell Banker agent Paige Whiteside is representing the fire station for the lease. Of course, Espinosa is staying in her small part of the building, but that still leaves the vast majority of space available.
“Vikki kept so much originality,” Whiteside said. “The old phone booth is still in the corner! It would be a great place for an artist, a builder, or a non-profit serving the neighborhood.”
But, wouldn’t it be nice if the City of Dallas found a way to work with her?
Whiteside has 4114 Frank Street for lease at $4,595 per month.
