Elizabethtown Fire Chief, Nick West, gave BladenOnline.com a sneak peek tour of the new Elizabethtown Fire and Rescue Building this week.

Hurricane Mathew destroyed the former rescue squad building in 2016. Eddie Madden, Town of Elizabethtown Manager, said funding for the new construction was provided by the North Carolina Golden Leave Foundation and the Town of Elizabethtown.

The Golden Leaf Foundation provided $2,518,950.00 with the Hurricane Matthew Disaster Recovery Grant Program. DeVane Builders was award the project and is finishing up with construction, according to Chief West. The two local Elizabethtown departments will start moving in this month.

The new building is located at 300 East Broad Street in Elizabethtown and was formerly the location of Jessup Motors/Dorman Motor Company. Chief West acknowledges the history of the site during the video tour.

According to a past press release, Eugene Anderson sold the property to the town at less than fair market value. The Golden LEAF grant supported the design, engineering, and renovation of the new station.

The plans for the current fire station on Swanzy Street calls for the Public Works Department to move into the existing building and utilize it for office and shop space. The existing Public Works building on Swanzy Street is proposed to function as a garage.

Nothing is proposed to be built on the lot of the former Elizabethtown Rescue Squad building on Mercer Mill Road due to the potential of flooding.

Chief West said a ribbon-cutting might be held in June for the new fire and rescue building. More information will be provided as soon as it becomes available. Watch the video tour now on BladenOnline.com YouTube Channel.