Work on the Steamer House building in Owego has begun.

The building is being constructed by Owego Hose Teams, Inc. and when it's done, it will be home to the Owego Fire Department’s 1866 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine and 1939 Sanford Hose Truck.

The project was initially proposed in January 2020 and is now ready after COVID-19, cost overruns and scheduling delays. The building will be located at the former Lloyd’s Barbershop site on North Avenue.

The building will be built out of recycled barn beams and have glass solarium walls that allow for viewing from all angles and will include a steeple that supports an antique fire bell that originally was in the clock tower of Owego Central Fire Station.

The building is supposed to be up in the next few weeks and the Steam Fire Engine is scheduled to be back from repairs by the spring. It is being worked on in Hope, Maine.

To date, the Hose Team has spent $261,892 on this project and it will take about another $50,000 to complete it. The money that's been spent already was non-taxpayer funds.