City officials Friday signed the final papers for the purchase of a 2.2-acre tract at the corner of Maxwell Drive and Berryman Road off East Clay Street, opening the way for the eventual construction of a proposed new city fire station.

“It’s all official,” Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said. “Now we can begin the planning.”

The board in February approved buying the property from Waring Investments for $400,000.

“I’m glad it’s happened,” Vicksburg Fire Chief Charles Atkins said. “This is another step toward the future.”

Money for the land came from $1.6 million set aside for a new fire department in the city’s $9.2 million capital improvements bond issue.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen have not selected and architect for the project.

City officials had discussed building a new station in east Vicksburg for several years to have better and quicker access to accidents on Interstate 20, the multi-story hotels in the Clay Street area and Merit Health River Region Medical Center, which falls under the fire department’s responsibility.

In the past, officials have discussed possibly relocating an existing station to the East Clay site, and moving an aerial or platform truck, ambulance and rescue truck and a pumper to the proposed new station.