Gainesville Breaks Ground on Replacement Fire Station 3

Gainesville officials announced a groundbreaking for a replacement Fire Station 3, moving a long-planned public-safety facility toward construction while also highlighting a second project, the Southwest Public Safety Center.

The Fire Station 3 groundbreaking was scheduled for 10 a.m. July 22, 2026, at 1025 NE 13th St., near NE 8th Avenue and Waldo Road. The replacement station is planned for northeast Gainesville, where it will continue serving neighborhood residents and surrounding areas.

The city’s announcement describes the project as a replacement for the existing Fire Station 3, not as a wholly new station location. The facility is planned to measure 16,773 square feet and include three engine bays.

A project with approvals already in place

The Gainesville City Commission approved the Fire Station 3 project in 2023. Commissioners later approved a site-work agreement in April 2026, according to the City of Gainesville.

The next known step was a construction agreement expected to come before the commission in August 2026. That expectation does not establish that the agreement had received final approval at the time of the groundbreaking announcement.

The announcement did not provide a final construction contract amount or a completion date. The project therefore represents a move into the construction phase, but the available information does not establish when the replacement station will open or how much the completed facility will cost.

Second public-safety project also highlighted

During July 2026, the city also announced a groundbreaking for the Southwest Public Safety Center. The source packet does not provide the center’s size, cost, exact site or construction schedule.

That project was presented alongside Fire Station 3 as part of Gainesville’s current facilities program. Together, the announcements point to a city effort to replace or improve public-safety infrastructure, including facilities used for fire and emergency response.

For northeast Gainesville, the immediate local project is the replacement station at the NE 13th Street site. Its planned three engine bays and continued service area define the facility’s intended role, although the announcement does not quantify any future change in response times, staffing or emergency coverage.

Budget context

The city’s July 2026 news archive also identified an active FY2027 budget proposal involving spending reductions and public-safety-related revenue options. The packet does not connect any specific budget decision to the Fire Station 3 construction agreement, but the budget proposal provides municipal-finance context for a facilities program that includes public-safety construction.

The City Commission’s expected consideration of the construction agreement in August is the next identified decision point for Fire Station 3. Until that action and additional project details are available, the city has confirmed the groundbreaking announcement, the facility’s planned size and design, its location and service area, and the project’s earlier approvals—but not its final price or completion date.