Steamboat Spends $600K Assessing Aging Mountain Fire Station

Steamboat Springs —On a recent morning, MWL Architects walked the floor of the Mountain Fire Station on Steamboat Springs’ southeast side. They weren’t there to paint walls or replace lighting. They were measuring the gaps between where firefighters live, work, and clean up after a call.

The city of Steamboat Springs is in the middle of a feasibility study to determine if that aging building can still do its job, or if it’s time to move on. The assessment is part of a broader push to address what City Manager Tom Leeson called “woefully inadequate” conditions in March.

Leeson told the Steamboat Pilot that safety issues are present, and there isn’t enough space for personnel. To hear him tell it, the building doesn’t just need a facelift; it needs a rethink.

The city is funding the initial design phase with $600,000 from its 2026 capital project budget. The Steamboat Springs Area Fire Protection District is also chipping in for design and planning costs.

Fire Rescue Chief Chuck Cerasoli pointed to a specific shortfall: the facility lacks recent technological advancements that firefighters need to do their jobs and stay safe.

That’s where the MWL team comes in. According to a recent city newsletter, the consultants completed a site visit and interviewed SSFR operations staff. Now they are conducting a comprehensive assessment focused on three things: traffic flow, service and space requirements, and operational needs.

The goal is to find out if the existing site can support evolving service demands and future program growth. If it can’t, the findings will guide recommendations for a potential new location or major renovation.

Why does this matter to folks around here? It’s not just about concrete and steel. Modern fire station design is a health issue.

Officials noted in the newsletter that new designs separate live/work areas from apparatus bays and potentially contaminated gear. Firefighters bring back hazardous substances after every emergency response. A well-planned station provides dedicated spaces for cleaning, decontamination, and gear storage to decrease that exposure.

“Equally important, a well-planned station can support efficient operations by improving the flow of firefighters, equipment and emergency apparatus throughout the facility,” the newsletter states.

The math holds up when you look at the daily routine. A firefighter needs to get ready, roll out, come back, clean up, and rest without walking through a bay full of dirty gear. The current layout makes that harder than it should be.

The question is whether the city will choose to renovate or rebuild, and that decision hinges on what MWL finds in their traffic and space analysis. For now, the study is underway, and the next steps depend on those findings.

Leeson said the goal remains for the Mountain Fire Station to continue supporting both the health and safety and operational needs of firefighters.

“Evaluating how the station functions today, and how those needs may change over time, will help ensure that firefighters have the space and resources needed to prepare for calls, return safely from incidents and remain ready to respond when the community needs them,” the city stated.