After more than eight years of trying, Coupeville’s effort to find a buyer that will preserve the old fire hall on Alexander Street is now closer than ever to completion.

The Coupeville Design Review Board on Aug. 24 unanimously approved a developer’s plans to renovate the 75-year-old building. Although the company, Birch Bay-based Far North Ventures, can still back out of the sale agreement with the town, the board’s decision was the last major hurdle facing the deal.

According to Mayor Nancy Conard, all that’s left to do is issue a building permit for the planned renovations. Once that’s done, the company will still have five days to forego the venture but she said such an outcome was doubtful.

“I’m delighted,” said Conard, that a horizon to the town’s long efforts to sell the building is finally in sight.

Levi Ware with Far North Ventures is also very optimistic that the project will move forward as planned, saying that he and his family are “ready to roll” just as soon as the sale details are finalized. The company’s plan, which is also a requirement of the sale agreement, is to fully renovate the building.

“We’re trying to bring it back to its former glory,” Ware said.

The 1937-built building, which is listed as a contributing structure on the National Register of Historic Places, was used at a fire station until the late 1960s, when it was taken over by the Island County Historical Society. Ironically, the museum stripped the structure of its signature and historic fire-truck doors, replacing them with diamond shaped windows.

The museum occupied the fire hall from about 1970 to 1991, when it moved into its new building across the street. The town, which has always held title to the property and structure, has used it for storage space ever since but began an effort to sell it 2002.

Front Street merchant George Lloyd and Oak Harbor historical architect Terry LeDesky were engaged in negotiations to purchase the building for about eight years but the agreement fell through earlier this year. The collapse led to a renewed effort by town officials to sell the building.

The Ware family’s bid for $1,000 and its promise to fully renovate the outside of the structure within 90 days beat out two other offers. Jerry Saia, owner of the Coupeville Inn, offered to pay $2,500 but he wanted 30 days to do a feasibility study to determine a use for the building. Max Hermann offered the most, bidding $5,000 but he wanted 90 days to examine possible uses and did not guarantee that the bathrooms attached to the building would continue to be offered for public use.

According to Ware, the family operated business usually does its own work but to meet the stiff 90-day deadline, he said they will likely hire out help. The plan is to reinstall the building’s fire-truck doors, re-stucco or repaint the building’s exterior, re-trim the windows, and add a lean-to shelter over the outside of the public bathrooms located on the north side of the building.

The structure’s interior will also be renovated but it is not subject to the 90-day timeline, Ware said. The work will be significant, from improving internal structuring to bringing the building up to modern seismic code and turning the upstairs into a residential living space.

As for the bottom floor, a use has not yet been determined. However, Ware confirmed they have been discussing a possible tenancy by the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce. The chamber moved its headquarters from its long standing location in Coupe’s Village on South Main Street to a space in Mariner’s Court next door to the fire hall in 2009.

Although no agreements have been hammered out, Ware said they are excited about the possibility.

“We feel like they would be a perfect fit,” he said.

Ware said they would also be interested in a use by the museum. If neither work out, the space may be used as retail commercial space.