Boat firm wants to tear down most of old fire station

A new artist rendering of a boat showroom shows a two-story structure that will require demolition of much of the old Lakeport Fire Station at the building site. A previous rendering showed a one-story structure that preserved the station, and surrounded a portion of it with a glass showroom. (Courtesy graphic)

By RICK GREEN, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA — Lakeport Landing Marina is requesting a permit to demolish much of the old Lakeport Fire Station under revised plans for a boat showroom.

The boat dealer purchased the station from the city last year for $385,000. Its original plan called for a one-story L-shaped glass-enclosed display space wrapping around the front and west side of the existing brick building.

Those plans have now changed into a two-story structure with an attached, three-sided glass showroom. The original bay doors of the fire station would be integrated into the structure. A new brick “hose tower” would be built as a decorative feature.

No work has been done.

In its Monday meeting, the City Council did not object to the change of plans, but the consensus was not to approve the demolition permit until Lakeport Landing Marina lives up to its previous commitment to vacate another city-owned building.

Councilor Bruce Cheney said he wants to see some good faith on the part of Lakeport Landing’s owner Erica Blizzard.

“We are being asked to accept changes from someone who has not met their obligations up to this point and I worry that when this is all done it won’t look like what we expect it to look like if her approach is to ignore her agreements with us,” Cheney said.

Mayor Ed Engler said the new plans actually look better than the old ones.

“The reason to tear down a good portion of the building is pretty obvious,” he said. “They wanted more space than the original plan allowed for. I think it’s quite handsome. If anything, it looks more fitting with Lakeport or Lake Village historically than keeping the 1950s-era fire station the way it was. To me, what we have here is more attractive.”

The city has sent an eviction notice to Lakeport Landing over its occupancy of 21 Elm St., also in the Lakeport Square area. Its lease extension with the city ended April 1. The eviction notice demands the company leave by April 20.

The city has an agreement to sell that building to a competing boat dealer, Irwin Marine, for $500,000, but that deal can’t go through until Lakeport Landing vacates the property.

Councilor David Bownes was alone in objecting to the idea of making the demolition permit contingent on Lakeport Landing vacating 21 Elm St.. He said design and construction of a new building is a separate issue from the eviction proceedings.

Blizzard did not return a call for comment. She has a pending lawsuit against the city, challenging the sale of the 21 Elm St. building to Irwin Marine, claiming the city had granted her company first right of refusal to purchase the property at the end of a 30-year lease.

The city disputed that claim and a tentative settlement was reached with the city offering the fire station for sale.

City Manager Scott Myers said the stated reason for the slowness in starting the fire station project is that when details of the sale were concluded, winter was approaching and spring was viewed as a better time to begin the work.

Movement on the plan for the old fire station is at a standstill while city officials wait for current tenant Erica Blizzard to vacate the Lakeport Landing Marina property. (File photo)