CAMARILLO FIREHOUSE IN TUG OF WAR : BUSINESS, HISTORIANS COMPETE.

Byline: Christoper Noxon Daily News Staff Writer

An empty fire station in the core of Camarillo has become the center of a prickly debate between civic historians and boosters of business.

City officials are expected to seal a deal today with the county to purchase the 56-year-old fire station at 2474 Ventura Blvd. Officials hope to make the building the hub of a rejuvenated historic district to draw people back to a neighborhood outpaced in popularity in recent years by new commercial centers and an enormous outlet mall.

Members of the local historical society want to turn the firehouse into a museum of local heritage, displaying antique photos, letters and displays along with salvaged farming equipment and a restored fire truck.

But the owners of a nearby antique store say they have a better idea - convert the old building into a huge antique emporium, a warehouse of old collectibles to rival the bustling antique district in Ventura.

City officials have not decided who will control the building they purchased for $150,000. But City Manager Bob Little said he hopes room is made for both proposals, with the antique market, history museum and other tourist destinations clustered around Dizar Park and St. Mary's Chapel.

But in Little's vision, the prime spot will be reserved for commerce.

``With the fire station for commercial purposes and one building for the museum, we could create a great mix that would really bring people into the area,'' Little said.

But members of the Pleasant Valley Historical Society said the old fire station deserves more respect than to be revamped as a retail tourist trap.

Built in 1940 with $15,000 from the will of city forefather Juan Camarillo, the building was the city's first civic structure, housing a library, meeting hall and county agriculture offices.

The building deserves a place of honor, said Pleasant Valley Historical Society Board Member Bob Hernandez Sr.

``Juan Camarillo is probably turning over in his grave if he knew what was going on,'' Hernandez said.

Backers of the antique emporium, however, said their proposal will give the area a shot in the arm that a local history museum simply would not.

``It won't create jobs, sales tax or property tax,'' said Guy Maison, co-owner of the antique shop Augusta's.

In fact, Maison said, the museum will only interest a select few.

``Who else is interested in looking at letters and pictures of a judge from 1940?'' Maison said. ``All due respect, but no one will come to this thing.''

Maison opened his business 1-1/2 years ago and would like to expand operations at the fire station to include 12 shops, coffee in the courtyard and a display of fire station memorabilia. The project could result in 50 new jobs and at least $1 million in new sales and property taxes, he said.

Some local historians, however, say they aren't seduced by the grand plans of a newcomer. Barbara Fulkerson, a board member of the historical society, said she worries the city will lose control of an important local landmark if it agrees to sell to private enterprise.

``If the city sells to him, what control do they have?'' she said. ``That's a historic building, and we don't have too many left.''

Fulkerson said the society raised $180,000 in pledges toward $400,000 projected to purchase and renovate the building. The historical society is banking on its political edge, with three of its own members sitting on the City Council.

But to Maison, the museum would amount to little more than a gallery devoted to the family photos of old-timers. The antique proposal, however, would benefit everyone.

``You're looking at an argument between ego and enterprise,'' he said. ``I know we're viewed as the evil dollar-hungry capitalists, and they're the altruistic descendants of the founders of the city. But the best way to rejuvenate a declining area is to create an old town.''

Hernandez, however, said there are more important things than generating tax revenue.

``Do we have to prostrate everything we do for sales tax dollars?'' he said. ``If we're going to worry about tax dollars alone in everything we do, we don't need any historic society or historic buildings at all.''

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--ran in SIMI and CONEJO editions only) Guy Maison, standing in front of his antiques store, is fighting to get the old Camarillo fire station turned into an antique emporium.

(2) Historical society directors Bob Hernandez, left, Barbara Fulkerson and Jack Fulkerson ponder the future of 56-year-old fire station.

Andy Holzman/Special to the Daily News