Who isn’t intrigued by Fire Station 27 in Preston Center? The facility opened in December, 2 ½ years behind schedule, and is the most expensive of its kind in the city’s history. We haven’t had a chance to peek inside yet, but a few residents of Edgemere senior living — including Col. James Gilliland who we profiled in our veterans issue — have and they were kind enough to share a few photos.
The residents enjoyed an omelet breakfast at the station, prepared on site by Edgemere executive chef Victor Jamie, who says the kitchen is “fabulous.”
“We thought breakfast would be a fun and thoughtful gesture because firefighters typically cook their own meals at the station,” explains John Falldine, Edgemere’s managing director. “The residents loved touring the new station.”
Perhaps no one was more excited about the tour than Ted Gilles, who is a longtime firefighting enthusiast. He helped found the Texas Fire Museum and served as an auxiliary firefighter during World War II when he was just a teenager and many professional firefighters were overseas.
“I was very impressed [by Station 27],” he says. “Two things that really stood out to me were the drive-through design, so fire vehicles no longer have to back into the station, and the improved traffic control system, which enables them to get out of the station and onto Northwest Highway much better.”
Browse the photo gallery above to relive the excitement.
