By: Rachel Hawkins, NDG Staff Writer
On Second Street between Main and Jefferson, at 137 E Second St, in Irving sit the historic Old Central. Old Central held Irving’s first city hall, city offices, from 1932 to 1985, later it served as a fire station. As stated on the Irvingfirefoundation.org/OldCentral.html website the building’s “first floor held the city’s jail and a fire truck bay while upstairs were city offices and a courtroom. Beyond city business, the building hosted community activities and firemen trained within its walls.”
The words “Old Central” were spoken back to life when Irving resident, Loren Byers called for the saving and restoration of Irving’s old fire station on Jan.31 Irving city council meeting.
After the fire station closed, Old Central served as a clinic, a book depot for Friends of the Library in 1998, and lastly as the Irving Fire and Police Museum Foundation offices until 2010 when the lease expired.
Throughout Irving’s history, Old Central has served an important part of the community and history. Now the building sits neglected and ignored.
The building also held community activities. Irving residents learned how to preserved food here. And during World War II, the building held the local Red Cross and the War Price and Rationing Board.
Daniel Rozier, president of Irving Firefighters Association, and former president of Irving Fire Foundation discussed the past project.
“Several years ago, the Irving Fire Foundation along with several community members and some developers attempted to negotiate with the city to secure a long-term lease on the property or purchase it,” Rozier said. “At that time, there was no interest from the City Manager to do that. The McDougal Project was an ongoing project in the area at that time as well. The Fire Foundation had reached out to various parties in an attempt to save the building by renovating it, using it as leased office and retail space and also housing a proposed IFD museum.”
The Irving Fire Foundation, proud supporters of this project came up with the phrase “Save Old Central – Restoring Hope through Revitalization of Purpose”.
“The historical significance of the building and the location in downtown, near the Dart station and other proposed development, looked to be promising for those options,” Rozier said. “Due to lack of interest in seeing any of the proposed ideas acted upon by city staff at that time, the project stalled. For lack of a better term, interest in the project died.”
The City of Irving leased the property to the Irving Professional Firefighters until Tommy Gonzalez, City of Irving’s previous City Manager, decided to ask the organization to vacate the property. Then the city condemned the property.
“The Irving Professional Fire Fighters Association (IPFFA) expressed interest for several years in wanting to purchase the property as well to house their offices and possibly a fire museum/public education facility,” Rozier said. “These conversations occurred with then-City Manager Tommy Gonzalez both prior to and after being evicted. The lack of cooperation and communication led the IPFFA to move forward on an alternate location and they have since relocated to a different property in South Irving.”
Any Irving residents interested in working on this historical project should contact their city council member.
“The property has quite a bit of historical significance to the City and of course the Firefighters that lived there,” Rozier said. “As an organization, the IPFFA would like to see it preserved in some respect. In actuality, according to GIS studies, Irving has a need in that area for an additional fire company to adequately serve that portion of the city. It would be great to see the city rehab the property, assign an engine company there and provide that portion of the city better fire and EMS response capabilities much as it did with the addition of Fire Station 12 for Hackberry Creek. The IPFFA would be very supportive in any endeavor to preserve the history of the building. We would love to see it back as a functioning firehouse serving the citizens of South Irving.”
Central fire station was an active station way past 1956 . I worked there 1967 til ?
Thank you Kenneth, not able to confirm when the fire department moved out, but you are correct it looks like it was City Hall until 1956.
The South Irving Task Force is actively working to see the preservation and utilization of this historical location. Loren Byers ( not “Warren”) is a member of the Task Force. There are also several Council members interested in our efforts and in the suggestion by the Association President. We invite the public to support us and this effort.