City Center Fort Worth invited firefighters to its campus downtown Wednesday morning for an event to thank first responders. City Center Fort Worth includes Fire Station 1, near 2nd and Commerce.
Fire Station 1 opened in 1907 and once housed Fort Worth City Hall, but the station closed in 1980. City Center has renovated the building, which now houses a Starbucks and restaurant.
"We're always looking for a chance to celebrate the firefighters, the people who keep us safe and watch over our property," says City Center Chief Executive Johnny Campbell.
Wednesday morning, City Center provided breakfast for firefighters and also parked a vintage fire wagon in front of the building.
"It's a testament to the City of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Fire Department for preserving this building," says Fire Captain Landon West. "It just goes along with the history Fort Worth has."
"We're trying to preserve as much as we can for the City of Fort Worth," says retired firefighter Jack Yarbrough, who now works with the Fort Worth Firefighters Museum. "There's been way too much torn down. Some of the most beautiful buildings in the world were right here in Fort Worth, Texas."
Campbell says the event gave passersby a glimpse of history and also gave people with offices in the City Center complex a chance to meet first responders outside of an emergency.
"That does seem to be the way it is. Normally, the sirens are running when they come out," he says. "This is much better. We get a chance to see them in a better setting."
"Everybody should really thank our first responders," says former Mayor Betsy Price, who greeted firefighters Wednesday. "This brings a whole new appreciation for what fire departments have done, and it brings a lot more foot traffic downtown, which is always good."
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD