1930 Firehouse in Hoquiam Washington

[driverinmyhead]

I just saw this old Firehouse for sale ($65k) while surfing classifieds. It's not mine and I am not trying to sell anything...

Pretty cool old building! Looks like maybe close to 3000+ square feet on the main floor. Upstairs could be a pretty cool living space. The lot is only 7000 sqft, but everything is zoned commercial.

I already bought a commercial shop, but this one is VERY tempting! Too far away for me though.

Hoquiam isn't too bad. It's a quick drive to the coast for crabbing and fishing. Would be a great place to retire, open a business and live upstairs!
City should be able to tell you if it is possible to do a mixed use (residential upstairs, business downstairs).
Taxes are currently $1,000 a year and it looks like the seller got it pretty cheap as a distressed property.

Would probably be a lot of work to rehab the building, but a very cool place!

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/1920-fire-station-in-hoquiam/6335521065.html

 

[timbitca]

That building is sweet. Would be a heck of a project but it would be well worth it all done.

 

[930dreamer]

X2 on being an awesome project, I think I could live near the WA coast.

 

[BuffettFan]

That would be an awesome project!
And, according to the CL ad, it's got a gas engine and automatic transmission!

 

[jives]

Where is the pole? Ghost containment unit?

 

[MoparTrucks]

Very cool building and as a Fire Fighter I would love to have something like that (I even already own a Fire Truck).

By the way, can you tell us how to pronounce that town? I am guess "Hoe-****".

 

[6768rogues]

It would be nice if someone had a lot of money to put in it. Buildings like that are often full of asbestos.

 

[driverinmyhead]

I thought it was cool! Cheaper than what I bought and BIGGER... (but I am 20 minutes from Seattle).

MoparTrucks: Most people pronounce it "Hoe-Kwee-Um". Washington has a lot of American Indian names like: Puyallup (Pew-AL-Up) and Yakima (Yak-Um-Uh).

Yup... big project.

There is a Firehouse converted into a restaurant in Tacoma (Engine House #9) that is pretty cool...





I am a Licensed Realtor if anyone is serious or has questions (I can access records/info). I live 100+ miles away, but can look stuff up for free...

 

[tthornto]

By the way, can you tell us how to pronounce that town? I am guess "Hoe-****".

Hoquiam is pronounced in three syllables: Hoe kwee Umm

Not quite as dirty sounding as your guess at the pronounciation. Hoe **** sounds like something you might catch an std from after staying in a cheap hotel with dirty sheets.

Hoquiam is one of the more industrial small cities along the Washington coast. Less tourists, more loggers and fishermen.

 

[driverinmyhead]

tthornto: That is correct. Aberdeen is very close by. I pass through on my way to the coast. It seems very industrial and economically depressed!

Bergstrom's in Port Townsend Washington would be my dream retirement! Very touristy town on the ocean, and an AMAZING old building full of car stuff!

 

[ard]

Where is the pole? Ghost containment unit?

One of the pictures shows a circular railing with what looks like a circular patch in the floor....

 

[theoldwizard1]

My nephew bough a firehouse in Detroit last year. Been kind of a money pit so far. Bad roof, rotted a lot of wood flooring. No electric, plumbing or heat. All removed before scraper could get to it.

Latest issue is there never was a water meter (city owned the water and the building; who needs a meter). Original feed was a 3" line. The city has to rip up the street and install service. It has been weeks already.

The stupidest thing someone told him the solid brick (3 bricks thick) walls would make great thermal energy storage WITHOUT any insulation (not a stick of insulation anywhere). Right, so in the middle of winter, after a 0F night, when the temp get up to a "balmy" 20 something, how much energy is it going to take get the 3000 sq ft, unpartitioned, living area up to 65F and keep it there for the following night ! At least the windows are vinyl replacement thermal windows.

 

[captain14]

In picture #2 above, any idea what the gable end is on the left side for?

 

[2Big2Ride]

Shop down stairs, live up stairs! Sign me up.

 

[Falcon67]

Hmmm, ther is an airport on the island that could do occasional duty as a drag strip...dont get me to thinkin'

 

[driverinmyhead]

Captain14: It looks like a tower. There are more pics on the MLS...

BTW, looks like it went under contract today!

 

[rockettgpw]

Captain14: It looks like a tower. There are more pics on the MLS...

BTW, looks like it went under contract today!

The tower may be the hose drying/inspection hanger, I'm sure fireys will correct me. In my town the fire station has a tall pole with a hoist for this duty.

Love the building, thanks for making me think of more options. Mmm if only I could find one within 50km of east coast Aussie.

 

[RivennHewn]

I ran it up the flag pole, but the wife said 'No'.

Dreams dashed again.

 

[L5wolvesf]

I ran it up the flag pole, but the wife said 'No'.

Dreams dashed again.

Don't forget to bring her down from the flagpole.

 

[MoparTrucks]

Hoquiam is pronounced in three syllables: Hoe kwee Umm

Not quite as dirty sounding as your guess at the pronounciation. Hoe **** sounds like something you might catch an std from after staying in a cheap hotel with dirty sheets.

Hoquiam is one of the more industrial small cities along the Washington coast. Less tourists, more loggers and fishermen.

HAHA I hadn't thought of the meaning of my pronunciation! Thanks for the response, I like to be able to pronounce place names correctly even if just in my head when I am reading.

 

[MoparTrucks]

My nephew bough a firehouse in Detroit last year. Been kind of a money pit so far. Bad roof, rotted a lot of wood flooring. No electric, plumbing or heat. All removed before scraper could get to it.

Latest issue is there never was a water meter (city owned the water and the building; who needs a meter). Original feed was a 3" line. The city has to rip up the street and install service. It has been weeks already.

The stupidest thing someone told him the solid brick (3 bricks thick) walls would make great thermal energy storage WITHOUT any insulation (not a stick of insulation anywhere). Right, so in the middle of winter, after a 0F night, when the temp get up to a "balmy" 20 something, how much energy is it going to take get the 3000 sq ft, unpartitioned, living area up to 65F and keep it there for the following night ! At least the windows are vinyl replacement thermal windows.

It sounds counter intuitive and I dont know about brick but I live in a stone and concrete house with no wall insulation and it is the warmest house I have ever had. Once you heat it it acts like a heat sink and there are zero drafts. Warm in winter and cool in summer with low utility bills.

It got down to 42 degrees F at my place last night and I am not running heat yet; woke up and it was 67 inside the house this morning.

 

[johnnyradiant]

Hoquiam (Ho'-kwee-um, or Ho-kwim, to natives) was incorporated on May 21, 1890. Its name comes from a Native-American word meaning "hungry for wood", so named from the great amount of driftwood at the mouth of the Hoquiam River.

 

[rubberrodder]

Was hatched here 59 years ago and its always been "hoe-kwim" to us locals. Sequim is another fun one. Say, "Skwim".
My aunt from Arizona could not {or would not} pronounce Steilacoom as "Still-ah- ***" it was always "Sty-eel-a-cooom".
I think I passed that fire house when ever we went to the beach. Is it on the 101 going out of town?

 

[theoldwizard1]

The tower may be the hose drying/inspection hanger, ...

Look a little short for that.

 

[theoldwizard1]

It sounds counter intuitive and I dont know about brick but I live in a stone and concrete house with no wall insulation and it is the warmest house I have ever had. Once you heat it it acts like a heat sink and there are zero drafts. Warm in winter and cool in summer with low utility bills.

It got down to 42 degrees F at my place last night and I am not running heat yet; woke up and it was 67 inside the house this morning.

So what was the high temperature today ?

I have no idea what the temperature ranges are in your area. Below 0F at night and 20F during the day, for multiple days in a row, are common in SE MI. It is going to take a lot of energy to bring that mass up to 70F and maintain it there !

Nephew's fiance even complained this spring about how cold it was while working inside (low 50s), even though the outside temperature was in the 60s (below freezing the night before).

 

[NUTTSGT]

One of the pictures shows a circular railing with what looks like a circular patch in the floor....

My guess, those would have been the railing around an open pole hole. Quite possibly that room being upstairs with a pole would have been the bunk room.

 

[NUTTSGT]

The tower may be the hose drying/inspection hanger, I'm sure fireys will correct me. In my town the fire station has a tall pole with a hoist for this duty.

Look a little short for that.

I'd guess it was for drying hose/bell tower. Older departments had a bell tower that double as hose drying area. They bells would be rung bringing in the off duty and volunteer firefighters when needed. Some places, the bells were rang at curfew time.

Most sections of hose are typically 50' long but not counting the sections of LDH ( large diameter hose) which are currently used as supply hoses. . . more than likely non-existent back then. The bell tower would only need to be about 30' tall or so in minimum height as the hose could be doubled over when pulled up to dry.

Hanging hose dries so much faster as the water drains out of it, of course. The natural convection of air moving up through the tower across the entire surface of the hose makes quick work of it.

 

[captain14]

In picture #2 above, any idea what the gable end is on the left side for?

Ok I agree that's the hose Tower to the
rear of the building ( side 3 or side Charlie)
The hose Tower is usually in the rear or side of the apparatus bay so the hose could be hung to dry. Replacement Hose was then racked back on the wagon
All hose was made out of cotton and it needed to dry out between uses.



But I was looking at the picture with the red Ford Escape and white cargo trailer immediately behind the trailer. GABLE end of the roof above a window halfway down the building. Is it Just a Design or something specific ?

 

[MoparTrucks]

So what was the high temperature today ?

I have no idea what the temperature ranges are in your area. Below 0F at night and 20F during the day, for multiple days in a row, are common in SE MI. It is going to take a lot of energy to bring that mass up to 70F and maintain it there !

Nephew's fiance even complained this spring about how cold it was while working inside (low 50s), even though the outside temperature was in the 60s (below freezing the night before).

Its mild right now so it warms up during the day but we have lived here for going on 9 years and the temps in the winter get into the teens and even below zero on occasion and it is just not what you would think. I was very leery about living in this house (original plan was to tear down and build new) because I thought it would be cold and damp but it has been just the opposite.

If you do not heat it it at all it will be cold and if you let it get cold it takes a while to heat up but once its heated it takes little to keep it warm. Our house is 1950 square feet and I heat with an outside wood boiler and have a new high efficiency propane furnace as back up and a 3 ton Lennox AC. Utility bills average about $100 a month.

We did replace all of the windows and doors with high end thermal efficient ones and I spent a summer re-tuck pointing the mortar which helped tremendously I am sure.

One side benefit, when its storming outside we usually dont even know it unless something hits the windows because it really blocks outside noise. We live on a farm so not much in the way of traffic noise plus we have no neighbors we can see or hear anyway but I could see the benefits of the sound deadening in an urban area.

Tell your nephew that once he heats it on a regular basis he might come to really enjoy the even temps and thermal efficiency in winter and in the summer, the ease of keeping cool.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Ok I agree that's the hose Tower to the
rear of the building ( side 3 or side Charlie)
The hose Tower is usually in the rear or side of the apparatus bay so the hose could be hung to dry. Replacement Hose was then racked back on the wagon
All hose was made out of cotton and it needed to dry out between uses.



But I was looking at the picture with the red Ford Escape and white cargo trailer immediately behind the trailer. GABLE end of the roof above a window halfway down the building. Is it Just a Design or something specific ?

An old door for the horses to come out, bring around and hook up to the equipment ?

 

[gregaz]

All these comments and no mention of that cool old vise? Buy the vise, get the firehouse thrown in for free.

 

[LEVE]

I was in Hoquium a couple of weeks ago getting my drivers license renewed and drove by that old firehouse. It piqued my curiosity.

Then I came across a more modern several stall firehouse on 8th St, but that one but not for sale. It's in a larger building and several of the stalls have been modified.

It would be wonderful to have one of these if you could afford it.

https://encrypted.google.com/maps/@46.9738719,-123.8886951,3a,75y,334.94h,95.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sl1dUXMR4nOqBhSph3Ur_7A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656]

 

[mrbc]

In picture #2 above, any idea what the gable end is on the left side for?

Could also be an attached training tower for practicing advancing guidelines, etc. If this is a small town and had just a small department, I'd guess training tower. Maybe had a hose drying hanger as well.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[theoldwizard1]

Tell your nephew that once he heats it on a regular basis he might come to really enjoy the even temps and thermal efficiency in winter and in the summer, the ease of keeping cool.

Nothing personal, but I want the opinion of a professional experienced with the weather in our area.

 

[homeschool]

Nothing personal, but I want the opinion of a professional experienced with the weather in our area.

While I've never really specialized in HVAC, I do have a construction background and am about an hour west. Mopar is right, in my experience.

Tell your nephew to keep his head up, it will be worth it when completed. I envy him, that would be my dream, his place is beautiful. Someday I will stop in and see it for myself.