SACO – A public hearing is scheduled Monday on the fate of the city’s old fire station.

With the fire department scheduled to move into its new central station on North Street on Thursday, city councilors are trying to decide what to do with the 73-year-old station downtown.

Councilor Jeff Christenbury said the council was expected to decide March 21 whether to put the building up for sale, but it tabled its decision until it could hold a public hearing. According to a city ordinance, the council must hold a hearing before deciding to sell city-owned property.

“Candidly, I believe it will go up for sale,” Christenbury said.

Since construction of the new fire station started last summer, the city has been reviewing options for the old station. The building is eligible for historic preservation. It also has drawn interest from the city’s revitalization organization, Saco Spirit, and a local mason, Nate Libby, as space for his company.

In January, the city got market value assessments from two commercial brokers. The recommendation from the city staff is to list the property for sale for four months, using the lower estimates of $299,000 for the main building and $176,000 for the administrative building.

A public ceremony is scheduled for April 30, with a formal closing of the old fire station at 8 a.m. followed by a procession of fire apparatus to the new station.

The new station will then be dedicated and opened for self-guided tours.

Staff Writer Emma Bouthillette can be contacted at 791-6325 or at:

ebouthillette@pressherald.com