ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The City of St. Augustine is eyeing a new place for an island fire station.
This was after neighbors fought against the city’s previous choice for a firehouse which was on state park property.
The current fire station on Anastasia Island is small, outdated, and built-in 1995. It's located on A1A and Red Cox Drive.
The city is now eying the Blue Water Jewelers store property at 500 Anastasia Blvd. It is an eighth of a mile away from the current fire station at 992 Anastasia Blvd.
Last year, the city pursued a different piece of land for a new fire station. It was a wooded parcel of state park property across from the St. Augustine Amphitheater.
A lot of neighbors adamantly opposed that idea, concerned about cutting down the trees on those acres.
Ultimately, the state shot down the idea of handing over state park land to the City of St. Augustine for a fire station.
Since then, the city has checked out other sites. It is most interested in the 1.27 acres of land where Blue Water Jewelers sits. The appraised value is $3.8 million, according to city documents.
The owner of Blue Water Jewelers told First Coast News she is open to the idea of selling the property, but only if the price is right and if it works out for everyone involved.
She wanted people to know the store would not close, and would simply move to a new location within the city.
Monday, the city commission will have to vote whether to approve moving forward to negotiate with the jewelry store property owners.