Old Fire Station No. 2 could have fanned the flames of glorious reminiscing had it been demolished last year.
And after a main wall fell two years ago, it nearly was taken down.
But today it stands strong and sturdy at 13th Street and Hutchins Avenue, looking like part firehouse and part firestarter for restoration and new beginnings. It became the trendy, eye-catching, 6,400-square-foot home of three United Way of Bartholomew County agencies a few months ago.
And the 110-year-old formerly abandoned structure that nearly attracted a wrecking ball looks to have a long life ahead of it still, thanks to at least a dozen different firms, agencies, and organizations whose work made the rebirth possible.
Tenants are United Way of Bartholomew County, which directs 21 agencies that reach about one-third of Bartholomew County residents annually; United Way 2-1-1, the information and referral agency that directs many for help to the local nonprofits; and the Volunteer Action Center, which helps plug in selfless-minded residents into a range of community tasks, from mentoring to office work.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
