SACO — Redevelopment work on the former Saco Central Fire Station is expected to be completed by July, according to the developer.

Developer Cynthia Taylor of Housing Initiatives of New England purchased the Thornton Avenue property for $100,000 with the intention of a mixed-use commercial and residential space. The sale was approved unanimously by the city council in September of 2012. An earlier offer had been rejected by the council, and numerous citizens rallied in support to save the building from demolition.

The former fire station was built in 1938 as part of the federal government Work Progress Administration and was vacated in 2011 when the fire department moved to a new central station on North Street. The building was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

“The progress on the Saco Fire Station is very good,” said Taylor in an email statement. She said reconstruction work on the building began last month.

The former administration building that sat next door to the fire station has been torn down.

That newly open space makes the former fire station “a grande dame” of the property, said former mayor Mark Johnston, who was in office when the city voted to approve the sale of the building in 2012.

“I am so happy that the community came out to support this historic building and challenged elected officials on their vision,” said Johnston.

In the long run, he said, the community is better off with this project instead of a parking lot, as it brings nice apartments to the downtown and adds to the city’s tax base.

The first floor of the building will house four commercial spaces. Taylor said one of the spaces is under option, and there are several parties interested in the other three, said Taylor.

The second floor of the building will contain four market-rate apartments for residents 55 years old and older.

The brickwork will be cleaned and repointed, said Taylor, and windows will be replaced with those that replicate the original ones. The distinctive horse head decorations will be kept, and an arch that was taken out to allow for a taller fire truck will be restored, said Taylor.

“The replacement of the overhead doors with wood doors will bring this building back to its original heritage,” said Taylor.

Patios and walkways will be constructed, and landscaping will be done, said Taylor.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].