Where will the first two of Wichita’s new fire stations be? Here are some site options

The Wichita Fire Department is eyeing land in northwest and southwest Wichita for the first of nine new stations slated for construction over the next decade.

The city already planned to spend $1 million on land acquisition this year for one site, and on Tuesday, the City Council approved another $1 million for the acquisition of a second property.

“Station locations would be informed by detailed quantitative analyses of our call history,” Fire Chief Tammy Snow told the council. “Our first steps required for fire station construction are land acquisition and architectural design.”

Council member Jeff Blubaugh asked if locations have been settled on for either station.

“No, we’re still pursuing land,” Snow responded. “We have it narrowed down to several pieces but we’re in the negotiation portion of that.”

One large lot at the intersection of Maize and Pawnee in southwest Wichita is an appealing site, she said.

“We had been given a couple other different options, but that one is our most favorable as far as response time and so forth,” Snow said. “I believe the current asking price on that is $400,000.”

In northwest Wichita, the ideal spot for a station would be 29th and Ridge, she said, but the city hasn’t had any luck finding an available lot.

“Looking at some additional options, a little bit further north, we’d like to stay on Ridge Road,” Snow said. “There’s some land at 33rd and Ridge that has been recently purchased that stayed vacant for quite a while. We’re going to contact the current owner and see if they have some plans for that.”

Other options include near 35th and Ridge to the west of Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church or at 29th and “about midway between Ridge and Hoover,” she said.

The city’s 10-year capital improvement budget includes $45 million for nine additional stations. The fire department now operates 23 stations.