Construction fences will soon come down in front of Takoma Park Fire Station 2. (Photo: TBD Staff)

Whereupon we check in on the progress of seemingly stalled sites, high-profile projects, neighborhood improvements and the like. Got a question about a particular building or half-finished sidewalk? Let us know.

What: The $11 million demolition and reconstruction of a 1927 Takoma Park fire station by Montgomery County.

Where: 7201 Carroll Ave., Takoma Park.

Start date: Talk of renovating the deteriorating station has been going on for nearly a decade, but construction finally began in April 2008.

Since then: Crews demolished a house that the county bought to make room for the expansion and then workers undertook a major relocation of sewer lines. Fire services have been operating out of a temporary station on a city-owned lot next door to the Takoma Park-Silver Spring Co-op.

Liz Kramer moved into a house directly across the street from the station in August 2009, and has been dealing with loud trucks since. She says she readjusted her sleeping schedule so that she could get her full eight hours of rest.

“It was loud and it was annoying. I kept a pair of earplugs by my bed, and I would be cranky in the mornings,” she says. “It’s not fun living next to construction, but at least you know it won’t be there forever.”

The latest: Kramer says the noise quieted down considerably about two months ago, at least enough for her to tune it out.

Most exterior work has been completed by now, but crews still need to install some concrete in front of the truck bays. Interior work remains, including painting, tile work, and getting plumbing and electrical systems in working order.

Kramer won’t need her earplugs past October; that’s when work is scheduled to be complete. After then, the fire station services will move into the new building, and the temporary station will be removed.