St. Cloud Fire Station 6 Design Approved, Construction Set for 2026

(KNSI) — The new fire station in St. Cloud has cleared its final hurdle, with the planning commission approving the design, paving the way for construction to begin next summer.

Fire Station 6 will be built at the intersection of 33rd Street South and County Road 74, near Tech High School. Deputy Fire Chief Peter Kedrowski tells KNSI News the approval is exciting. “It’s nice for them [the planning commission] to get their eyes on it and take a look, as this is a project that involves all the city. Everything from a trailhead to a fire station. It really is a gateway building for the city.”

The two-story station features a 24-foot-high truck bay where fire trucks and engines will be kept. The outside will feature dark gray granite panels and aluminum paneling. The design by OPN Architects aims to meet emergency response needs while creating a gateway to the community at the Highway 15 and 33rd Street South interchange.

A key feature is a five-story regional training tower that will be located between the main building and the south property line. Kedrowski emphasized the importance of the training facility for the department’s already skilled personnel. “Our fire department already is a class act, and I can’t say enough about how well trained our responders are. They don’t fight a house fire; they do an interior fire attack, and having this training facility to go with it is just going to be an incredible opportunity for them to up their game even further.”

The site, which formerly housed a car salvage yard, vehicle repair business and other commercial operations, sits on land the city acquired for the Highway 15 interchange construction.

The fire station remains on track for a June 2026 groundbreaking, with the city preparing to solicit bids from local contractors in the coming months. It should be ready for service in 2027. The plans will now go before the St. Cloud City Council for final approval.

The project follows St. Cloud residents’ approval of a $43.5 million referendum in November 2024.

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