Mountain Home Fire Station 2
CLIENT: CITY OF MOUNTAIN HOME
TIME PERIOD: 2025
ROLE: ARCHITECT
SIZE: 10,820 SF
Similar to many other fire departments around the country, the Mountain Home Fire Department found itself with undersized, ill-equipped, and aging facilities; ultimately affecting the department’s ability to recruit and retain new firefighters. MBL was hired in 2023 to design a new fire station, which was funded through a designated public safety tax.
Located in a curve along bustling state highway AR-62 and on top of a hill with sharp drop-offs, the station’s placement and orientation were significant factors in the overall layout of the building. Working with City Engineering and the Civil Design team, the building was sited to provide clear sight lines for dispatched crews, while simultaneously restricting views into and around the station of those driving by.
With recruitment and retention in mind, MBL Architecture worked closely with the MHFD Administration, the Mayor, and other City Personnel to identify key building features which would promote health and wellness, training, and a “home-away from-home” atmosphere for on-duty crews. The 10,820 s.f. station features four individual bedrooms, with en-suite bathrooms, fitness center with direct access outdoors for cross-fit style workouts, a spacious covered patio, open plan kitchen and day room, and four-fold style apparatus bay doors.
One extremely useful element of Station #2 is the incorporation of a built-in training wall in the apparatus bay. Utilizing the mezzanine space, a portion of the concrete block wall continues to the Apparatus Bay ceiling minus a 48” x 48” hole which can be used for ladder work and bail-out training. Strategically placed anchor points adjacent a removable gate, allow crews to practice ropes and repelling, all without having to leave the station.
