Seattle's safety infrastructure is getting a fiery upgrade with the ceremonial shovel hitting the dirt at the future site of Fire Station 31. On February 5, city bigwigs, including Mayor Bruce Harrell and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, were on hand to officially kick off the construction of the North Seattle facility, purported to bolster the local public safety network—as reported by ArtBeatSeattle.

At the groundbreaking event, Mayor Harrell emphasized the importance of the project, claiming it's a cornerstone in his "One Seattle vision of safe, thriving neighborhoods." That's a nice promise, sure—but residents are undoubtedly more interested to see the shovels do more action than merely pose for photo ops.

But it's not just about fighting flames. The new station is set to house more than just fire trucks and heroic firefighters; it will also feature a creative twist. A permanent public art installation by Seattle's own Damon Brown is slated to adorn the exterior of Fire Station 31, promising to make the building stand out in more ways than one, according to ArtBeatSeattle.

While the art itself won't see the light of day until spring 2025, the wheels, or rather the artist's brushes, are set to get rolling this year. With Brown's installation set to seamlessly integrate into the facade, this station is looking to quickly become a North Seattle landmark—provided, of course, the construction schedule doesn't hit any snags.