With a dedication ceremony Sept. 25, Crown Hill officially got its new Fire Station 35, replacing the outdated 80-year-old former station.

Fire stations, which must serve as places where firefighters both live and work, are challenging to build, and the opening of Fire Station 35, located at 8720 15th Ave. N.W., is the culmination of two years of work, said Fred Podesta, Seattle's Finance and Administrative Services director.

The old station had sloping floors, was not up to seismic codes and lacked room to properly decontaminate equipment.

The new $7.2 million Fire Station 35 features added space, including room for decontamination, gear storage and another firefighting vehicle, and has been seismically upgraded.

Seattle Fire Chief Gregory Dean thanked Seattle voters for passing the $167 million Fire Facilities and Emergency Response Levy in 2003 to allow the rebuilding or upgrading of 32 neighborhood fire stations.

Podesta singled out Crown Hill residents to thank in particular.

"The Crown Hill neighborhood was incredibly involved in this project all the way through," he said.

Mayor Mike McGinn said people in Crown Hill have a commitment to improving their neighborhood for future generations.

To that end, he pointed out the sustainable elements of the new station. Fire Station 35 features energy-efficient lighting, low-flow fixtures, construction waste recycling and reduced water use through rain water collection, among other things.

Ground broke on construction of the new fire station in August 2009, and construction was completed this August.

Click image above for photos from inside the new Fire Station 35.