The city intends to build a new station at 4101 Long Beach Blvd., which is just a few blocks north of the original Station 9 that was abandoned in June 2019 because of mold issues.
The old Fire Station 9 was closed in June 2019 due to recurring mold issues. This vote moves the city one step closer to building a replacement.
The city on Thursday sought the approval of environmental documents that could have allowed for the demolition of the building to eliminate any nuisance activity or health hazards while it tried sell the land, but without certainty of the city’s intentions, the commission opted to delay the vote.
Mold was discovered in the building in December 2017 and the building was permanently vacated in June 2019 after multiple failed attempts to remove the fungus, which can cause a host of health issues.
Depending on if the building is designated as a historic structure, it could be retrofitted for adaptive reuse for office space or other commercial uses, or it could be leveled to make room for passive recreation space or a new structure.
The former Boeing Fitness Center at 2019 E. Wardlow Road will house Engine 9 and Rescue 9, about 2 miles away from their previous station.
Fire Station 9’s resources were relocated to other stations on opposite sides of the city last year, but the new lease agreement could bring them back under the same roof just miles away from their former home in the Los Cerritos area.
Fire Station 9 closed in June 2019 because of ongoing mold issues but the city says it’s making progress toward bringing it home.
