September 4, 2024

$10 million grant awarded for the relocation of Fire Station No. 1

Daytona Beach has been awarded a $10 million grant from the State of Florida to relocate and construct a new Fire Station No. 1, a vital step in enhancing the city's emergency response capabilities. The relocation addresses current vulnerabilities and positions the city’s emergency services to meet the demands of its growing community. Strategically positioned on higher ground to safeguard against flooding and sea level rise, the new fire complex will be on a 3.6-acre site in the 400 block of South Ridgewood Avenue. 

Of the 197 eligible projects submitted for the competitive grant administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection, the top 16 prioritized projects will be funded this year. Daytona Beach’s grant submission ranked second. 

Fire Station No. 1, currently located at 301 S. Beach St. on the frequently inundated Halifax River, is Volusia County’s busiest station, with more than 4,500 calls for service in 2023. It has served our community since 1925 and is Florida's second oldest continuously operating fire station. However, its waterfront location has left it highly vulnerable, necessitating evacuations during major storms in 2022, thereby hindering emergency operations. 

The new site, just half a mile west and within the required response area, will ensure uninterrupted services, even during severe weather events. The new two-story, 31,000-square-foot facility will be fortified to withstand hurricane winds up to 150 MPH and have advanced green infrastructure like solar panels. 

It features a modern design with a roof contoured like a wave, red accents, floor-to-ceiling windows and exposed steel supports. 

Groundbreaking for this project is expected in December.

Lacing up for a good cause

For more than 30 years, city employees have participated in the annual Volusia-Flagler Heart Walk, which raises money for the American Heart Association (AHA). This year’s walk is 5:45 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, at Daytona International Speedway. The city has five teams with a fundraising goal of $7,500. Longtime city employee Toni Hollis shared her journey and the crucial role the AHA has had in her life.

"Still My Guitar Gently Leaps" mural 
(under construction): 

Earlier this summer, work started on a vibrant mural on the exterior wall at Total Entertainment, a long-standing business in the Midtown Redevelopment Area. Located at 501 W. International Speedway Blvd., the mural features colorful musical instruments on the business’ west-facing wall. Expected to be finished by October, the mural is a collaborative effort between property owner Steve Weinreich and local artist Natasha Azari. This is the seventh mural sponsored by the city and is funded from its American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Sidewalk upgrades around Midtown schools (upcoming):  

Construction to improve the sidewalks around Turie T. Small Elementary School and Campbell Middle School will begin in spring. Improvements are intended to provide safer routes for schoolchildren and their parent escorts who walk and ride bicycles to school.

Sidewalks will be repaired, widened and made ADA-compliant on the following streets:

Cedar Street, from Jean Street to Keech Street
Keech Street, from South Street to Cedar Street 
South Street, from Keech Street to Cedar Park Drive 

The tentative construction start is March 2025, with completion in January 2026. The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grant from the Florida Department of Transportation is funding the $1.6 million project. The SRTS is a statewide initiative designed to give funds to local municipalities to improve pedestrian safety near schools