East Nashville's beloved fire hall is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the result of new ownership restoring the building dating back to the 1930s.

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"Karen (Goodlow) has done a really good job of bringing it back to the way it looked even, probably, more historically than before the fire even," said Louis Jackson with the Tennessee Historical Commission.

 

Jackson has guided owner Karen Goodlow in her restoration efforts for the Gallatin Road Fire Hall Engine No. 18 to be recognized, as well as receive a 20 percent tax credit for the money she has spent to keep the upgrades historic.

 

The building was one of Historic Nashville Inc.'s Nashville Nine endangered historic properties in 2011.

 

When Goodlow acquired the property, part of the roof was missing, the floors were burned and rotting, soot covered the walls, and the windows and some doors were blown out. The damage was the result of a fire in 2011 and years without care.

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"We knew it was going to be a hassle and we knew it would slow down construction, but we felt it was worth it in the long run," Goodlow said.

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Now, the fire hall restoration is almost complete, with the addition of 1930s-era floors, doors and windows. Her team also has bared the original green and white glazed bricks in the engine bay, which were covered with paint and soot.

Goodlow's efforts have not gone unnoticed in the community.

 

"I hear from people all the time saying, 'Thank you from saving that,' " she said. "I didn’t realize how much people loved it."

Once the building is completed — an undetermined date — Goodlow intends to open The Station in the building, to be used for community events, office space and retail.