Historic Hooker Avenue Firehouse Restoration

POUGHKEEPSIE – Mayor Yvonne Flowers and Interim Fire Chief Vincent Parise officially hosted Congressman Pat Ryan in the City of Poughkeepsie on Wednesday, April 8th for a walkthrough of the Hooker Avenue Firehouse. The visit highlighted the Congressman’s prior commitment to the facility’s infrastructure through federal funding, which has now been paired with the City’s successful emergency restoration efforts following the fire in August 2025 to create a comprehensive renewal plan for the firehouse.

The event served as a powerful demonstration of the collaboration between local and federal leadership. Congressman Ryan’s visit to the site underscored the impact of the $850,000 in Community Project Funding secured for the City. The Congressman nominated the project back in 2024 to address critical foundational and structural revitalization. These federal funds, paired with over $570,000 in City-allocated resources for emergency fire restoration, bring the total investment in the facility to approximately $1.5 million.

During the tour, Mayor Flowers and Chief Parise showcased the active renewal of the building’s infrastructure and ongoing revitalization of living quarters for a more efficient and diverse workforce. The Congressman’s presence at the station today reaffirms a shared commitment to maintaining high safety standards for City of Poughkeepsie residents and the resilience of the City’s first responders.

“Since the incident our Fire Department has shown remarkable adaptability and commitment to public safety. Through our success in securing a neighboring property, our firefighters maintained uninterrupted 24/7 emergency response coverage to limit increases in response times both immediately after the August fire and throughout this entire construction process,” City Administrator Joseph Donat said.

“Before the incident, this neighborhood had seen their firehouse deteriorate, and I believe this restoration brings a new sense of hope to the area for our residents,” said Mayor Yvonne Flowers. “We are grateful for Congressman Ryan’s support, as these funds protect our taxpayers from being burdened by these construction costs in the future.”

“Firefighters have been operating out of the historic City of Poughkeepsie fire station for nearly 100 years,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “They even battled a fire of their own and had firefighters back in the station just days later. I’m proud to have delivered funding to help make some critical improvements to the firehouse, to ensure that Hudson Valley heroes can continue keeping us safe for decades to come.”

About the Hooker Avenue Firehouse
Established in 1929, the Hooker Avenue Firehouse holds a unique place in the City of Poughkeepsie’s history as the City’s only station originally built exclusively for a fully career-staffed force. The 1,739-square-foot building is a hallmark of early 20th-century fire service, featuring a signature 50-foot hose drying tower that remains standing today. The station is also tied to the 1947 American LaFrance Pumper, a post-war technological marvel that served the neighborhood for decades. While the historic pumper is now preserved in Tennessee, it recently returned to the area in late 2025 for a special exhibition, reuniting a piece of firefighting heritage with the community it once protected for nearly a century.