SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio City Council has greenlit a significant infrastructure upgrade for the city’s emergency services, approving a construction contract of up to $9,173,961 to replace the aging Fire Station 33.
The project, awarded to Marksmen General Contractors, LLC, marks a major step in the city’s ongoing efforts to modernize its fire department facilities. The new station will be constructed at 2935 Castroville Road, situated just blocks away from the current facility at 2002 SW 36th St. While the move is short in distance, it represents a transformative upgrade for the firefighters who operate out of the location.
For long-time area resident Reynaldo Rodriguez, who lives directly next door to the current station, the presence of the fire crew has long been a pillar of the neighborhood’s stability. “They’re right across from us and it keeps this area real safe,” Rodriguez said. “Just in being there, they’re accessible to whatever is needed around this part of the neighborhood or anywhere else. It’s a sense of security because they’re up all the time.”
While the project is a replacement rather than an expansion of the department’s total coverage area, San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) officials emphasize that the upgrade is long overdue. According to SAFD Public Information Officer Joe Arrington, the department has simply outgrown the footprint and capabilities of its older stations.
“We’ve physically outgrown stations,” Arrington explained. “Technology has obviously advanced in alerting systems, as well as just the physical limitations of these older stations.”
As equipment has become larger and emergency response requirements have evolved, the current facility has struggled to accommodate modern needs. The new station is designed to resolve these space constraints, providing a more efficient environment for personnel and larger bays for modern fire apparatus. Furthermore, the updated design offers the department much-needed flexibility, allowing space to house additional equipment in the future should the need arise.
The construction of the new Station 33 is a key component of the city’s 2022 bond program, reflecting a broader commitment to replacing outdated municipal infrastructure with facilities built to current safety and technological standards. Funding for the massive contract has been successfully integrated into the city’s fiscal year 2027 capital budget.
For residents like Rodriguez, the primary concern was whether the move would diminish the rapid response times the community has come to rely on. With the new site located just a few blocks away, neighbors can rest easy knowing that while the station is getting a massive upgrade, its commitment to the local community remains unchanged.
Construction is expected to begin soon, bringing a modernized hub of emergency services to the Castroville Road corridor.
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