CLEARWATER, Fla. - Officials in Clearwater are cutting the ribbon Tuesday on a new fire station, replacing the previous decades-old location with a spacious, high-tech facility.

The new Fire Station 47, located just off Gulf to Bay Blvd. and Hercules Ave., takes the place of a firehouse built in the early 1970s – one that city officials say "does not meet current best practices and standards.

By the numbers:

Construction of the new Fire Station 47 cost about $10.3 million. It measures 10,442 square feet and features four bays, 10 dorm rooms, and four bathrooms. It's also built to withstand a Category 5 hurricane.

Timeline:

City leaders approved a design work order for the project in November 2020, with construction beginning in March 2024.

Operations were transferred to the new F

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