SACO, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- The former Saco fire station has been vacant since April of last year, and a decision on an ongoing debate about what to do with the building could come as early as Monday night.
The building has been in downtown Saco since 1939, and it was built as part of the Works Progress Administration to provide jobs during the Great Depression.
Saco Mayor Mark Johnston is in favor of keeping the building and preserving its history, and he says the city has received offers from developers, one wanting to turn it into a senior housing complex.
Some members of the city council are in favor of tearing the building down to create additional parking for downtown businesses, and some are concerned about the costs involved if the building is left standing.
"When the fire department built the new station, all we heard was there's asbestos in there, it's not fit to work in, it's not healthy to work in there, it was all kinds of things," Saco City Councilor Arthur Tardif said. "They put on a good program, they got their new fire station, but I don't know, somebody is going to have to put a lot of money into that building to make it what they think it's going to be."
A public hearing is scheduled for Monday night at city hall. The city council is expected to vote on what to do with the building after that meeting.
NEWS CENTER