On an ancient hill in Dorchester, all signs pointed to the future Monday when city officials broke ground on what is only Boston’s second new fire station in 40 years. The new Meetinghouse Hill Fire Station got underway late last year with construction crews blasting away at solid ledge rock for several weeks.

Work is now underway on the station’s foundation. With that milestone, elected officials and Boston Fire officials conducted a groundbreaking for the project on Monday afternoon. The property sits in front of the existing Meetinghouse Hill (Engine 17) Station and was sold to the city by First Parish Church years ago. The Church used it as a parking lot for decades. The lot was once occupied by Lyceum Hall, which once served as the seat of government for the town of Dorchester before it was annexed to Boston in 1870. The building was demolished in the 1950s.

Mayor Michelle Wu touted the health benefits and environmental sustainability of the new station, but said she hoped it would also be a hub in the community.

Above, l-r: Fire Commissioner Paul Burke, Retired Firefighter Leo Sullivan and Mayor Michelle Wu. Seth Daniel photo

“We just saw over the weekend the heroism of our first responders and our firefighters in the extreme cold that we all experienced,” she said.

“Firefighters made 1,834 runs over the weekend in calls for service. Our firefighters responded to everything from burst pipes to everything in between. In our community’s greatest time of need, they were there. This building will deliver them the supports and resources they deserve.”

Mayor Wu also detailed a public art project that will adorn the tower of the new station – a mural that will be community centered and will depict the relationship between the neighborhood and the fire house. She noted that she inherited a lot of hard work from neighbors and the Walsh administration, which took the project from inception to design.

Fire Commissioner Paul Burke said the existing station house next door opened in 1928.

“I think we can all agree on two things – the old firehouse has served the community well in its time, but it is also time for something new,” he said. “That station became part of the neighborhood and served the community as a place to have bicycle’s repaired, to put air in a basketball and they even used to give haircuts.”

He said the new building will serve people in a new way – but not necessarily by giving haircuts.

“I’m not sure is having scissors close to a child’s head is the best idea anymore,” he laughed.

Fire Union Vice President Leroy Heyward, Jr., State Rep. Chris Worrell, and Fire Union President Sam Dillon.

Commissioner Burke noted Meetinghouse Hill is known as a firehouse with some of the most talented firefighters who often have to attack and extinguish difficult fires in three-deckers and older commercial buildings.

Public Facilities director Kerrie Griffin emphasized it was only the second firehouse built in Boston over the last 40 years, with the first completed last year on Columbus Avenue in Jamaica Plain.

“We now know firefighters come back from fires and they bring back with them carcinogens,” she said. “This design will include a zoning sequence so they can come back and get rid of those carcinogens. It’s built so there’s a healthy in and a healthy out. They shouldn’t go home bringing carcinogens to their families. These designs going forward are all about the health and safety of our firefighters.”

The new design includes red, neutral, and green hazard zones for firefighters to safely decontaminate when returning from fires.

City Councillor Frank Baker said that he was present during negotiations between the First Parish Church and the city for the land deal, which he said seemed like “a hundred years ago.” He said he was very happy to see the investment in the community on infrastructure to help first responders to serve the community.

“What a great day for Dorchester and what a great day for the Fire Department,” he said.

State Rep. Chris Worrell said in a statement: “I am so excited to have this fire station — one of the busiest in Boston — get the investment that matches the caliber of our brave men and women.”

Other officials in attendance included Councillor Erin Murphy, Councillor Michael Flaherty, Council President Ed Flynn, and City Chaplain Rabbi Korff.Cedar Grove resident Sean Weir will serve as the Clerk of Works on the project – keeping a careful eye on the project and its progress.

The new building will run on energy efficient boilers and features two apparatus bays facing Winter Street and one chief’s bay on Parish Street.

Second floor spaces include an open concept kitchen and dayroom, fitness area, lockers, and sleeping and office spaces for the staff. Large windows will introduce daylight into program spaces and create a welcoming entrance to the building. The design uses brick and stone to complement the surrounding area.

The existing firehouse will remain in operation during construction, but city officials weren’t immediately sure what would be done with the old firehouse once the new one opens in spring 2024.

Breaking ground on the new Meetinghouse Hill Fire Station were (L-R) Councillor Michael Flaherty, Former Fire Commissioner Paul Christian, Councillor Frank Baker, Councillor Erin Murphy, Fire Commissioner Paul Burke, Mayor Michelle Wu, Fire Union President Sam Dillon, Rabbi Korff, State Rep. Chris Worrell, Council President Ed Flynn, and Public Facilities Director Kerrie Griffin. Seth Daniel photo