West Deer Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 buys former Krigger & Company building

West Deer Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 will soon have a new station to call home.

The fire department bought the former Krigger & Company building on 4360 Gibsonia Road for $1.8 million in a deal that closed Sept. 8. The department entered into talks with the property owner in early February and agreed on a price in June. The department is financing the deal through Mars Bank.

“We’re excited that this opportunity presented itself before any investment was made into the current building. We are relieved,” said West Deer Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 Chief Josh Wiegand.

The department has called its building at 4372 Gibsonia Road home for 58 years. Wiegand said the building is too small and there are no options to expand. The department has 100 members, including 40 firefighters and 18 medical personnel.

Wiegand said the department received about 400 calls a year a decade ago, but this year he anticipates the number will be around 1,000 calls.

“This will give us the ability to provide adequate protection for the community,” he said of the larger station.

The location will allow for more space for training, additional work space for fire company officers and members, increased fundraising abilities, a physical fitness area, and equipment and personnel decontamination areas. In the future, the department looks to add bunk rooms, showers and a large area for training.

Wiegand estimates it will cost $450,000 to renovate the building and make changes to suit the department’s needs. He expects it will take four to six months to complete that work. The department is working with EPM Architecture to look at conceptual drawings and plans.

“Our plan is to make it a community resource where we’ll provide community training and a rental space for community events,” Wiegand said.