Photography: courtesy of Compass
Milwaukee’s Ladder Company #5
An 1886 firehouse accommodates a family of four or more on Milwaukee’s East Side. The 4,572sqft home is clad in sandblasted cream brick and traditional red accents. Inside, ceilings are high and windows are plentiful. The clever renovation has brought in a spa bathroom, home theatre, indoor-outdoor terraces and a dramatic three-storey staircase. The interior catwalk leads to a rooftop garden with a hot tub.
FDNY Engine Company No. 55
Designer Daniel Arsham’s airy live-work conversion hit the market last month in SoHo, with its distinctive mint-coloured iron staircase and stripped-back ceilings. The original building by Napoleon LeBrun dates back to 1887.
The old Proctorsville fire house
Here’s a blank-canvas opportunity in the Vermont hinterland: a clapboard townhouse from 1900 with commercial space downstairs and living space above. The original double garage doors remain, along with the heritage colour and antique sign. The Main Street address is impossibly quaint.
Brigade Court in London
The new Brigade Court gated development, built in and around a Grade II-listed 1878 fire station in Southwark, includes several one-bed apartments in the original building, retaining original features. The fire station doors and red brick facade remain on the building, while the interior is a contemporary refit.
