The Edgartown Fire Department unveiled designs this week for its new fire station after several years of planning.

At an informational meeting Wednesday, Fire Chief Alex Schaeffer introduced the project, which features a 16,500 square-foot station, almost double the size of the current building. It has an additional bay for ambulances and utilizes a village style architectural design.

The $21.5 million in funding was approved at the annual town meeting in 2023.

Chief Schaeffer said a feasibility study completed in 2020 revealed 12 deficiencies with the current building, including lack of space. The current station was built in 1966 and housed fire trucks that were far smaller than current fire safety guidelines require.

“Our ladder truck barely fits through the door...” Chief Schaeffer said. “The days of having a small apparatus like what’s in the museum are far gone.”

Chief Schaeffer said site prep will start in July. The existing fire station will be demolished in late September and the department will move in to its new station in late September 2027.

A temporary tent will be installed on vacant cemetery land to serve as an operating center during construction.

“It’s unfortunate that we’re spending money on something that we don’t have at the end, but it’s a way for us to maintain our operation status,” Chief Schaeffer said.

The architects on the project are Saccoccio & Associates Inc. and CHA Consulting will be the project manager. Dellbrook JKS is leading construction.

Designs show a cluster of four buildings connected by a low, metal roof. Chief Schaeffer said the structure functions as one building, but are separate to match the character of the town.

The town had conversations in 2022 about combining both the police station and fire station into one large public safety building, said town administrator James Hagerty, but the select board ultimately decided two separate facilities would look better.

The fire station’s museum memorabilia and retired trucks will be stored off site, and on-duty staff will use the space as housing during construction. The department’s administrative personal will move in to the old Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank building on upper Main Street, which the town purchased in 2023.

After the presentation, members of the public thanked the committee for their efforts.

“We worked really hard at it, trying to get the space that we need [and] also be respectful to the property and the surrounding neighborhood,” Mr. Schaeffer said.