The new ladder and rescue trucks will be stationed at Ladder 6 station on Atwells Avenue. The safety equipment upgrade was needed, according to city officials.  

"It is critical that our firefighters have access to modern equipment and tools that help them to do their life-saving work effectively," said Mayor Jorge Elorza.

Elorza said the station responds to more than 1,800 calls, mainly in the West End neighborhood and in parts of the North End and South Side neighborhoods each year.

Sherman last summer revealed its desire to build a 22-story apartment tower and six-story apartment building on the block bounded by S. Washington Avenue, Portland Avenue, S. 3rd Street and S. 5th Avenue. It said at the time that it hoped to reach a deal with the city to relocate the fire station, a two-story structure at 530 S. 3rd that dates back to 1909.  

Since then, the firm has worked with an architecture firm that specializes in public-safety buildings and reached the outline of a deal with the city. Under it, Sherman would buy the existing station, build the new one, sell the new one to the city, tear down the old one and then construct the apartment building and parking ramp.

The six-story building would be built along S. 3rd, including on the corner of the existing station and adjacent to the new one. Its 90 units would be designated as "affordable" housing that are rented at below market rates.

Adams Volunteer Fire Department board president Roger Dumond complimented the staff of the fire department, greeting them by name as he explained how he had driven by the fire department for almost 40 years and never realized how small a footprint the existing facility was until he’d become a member of the board.  

“It became alarming to me when I learned what all needed to happen here with so many space constrictions, and I’m a believer in making the most out of our money, but it’s time now to look at building a new larger facility to serve the Adams/Clinton township areas,” Dumond said.

Larry Meyer spoke, saying, “Primarily, we’ve been waiting on a new fire station for years and years, and it was one of those things that didn’t happen. So Charlie Bill (Connall) and I decided that it was time for something to really happen, so we think we’ve got a plot of land.”

The city expects to regain the services of one ladder truck Monday night and a second one Tuesday, city Fire Chief Jim Wehr said in a statement Monday.  

The 9-year-old primary ladder truck and 10-year-old reserve ladder truck have been out of service for about two weeks, according to Jeremy Warmkessel, president of the local fire union. Allentown’s been here before — it had no ladder trucks for a five-day period two years ago, helping ignite an outcry over the Pawlowski administration’s perceived neglect of the department.