Construction Starts on Rosemount Fire Station 2 Ahead of Full-Time Crews

TLDR

• Construction on the Fire Station 2 remodel and addition started the week of Oct. 20, 2026.
• The project gets the station ready for 24/7 full-time firefighters in early 2027.
• A big focus is firefighter health: keeping cancer-causing soot away from living areas.
• Bonds for the station and a new fire engine will be sold in March.

If you've driven past Rosemount's Fire Station 2 lately, you've seen the fencing. At the Oct. 20, 2026 City Council meeting, Fire Chief Kip Springer confirmed construction is officially underway. Here's what's happening and how it's being paid for.

What's Being Built

The council approved the bids at its Oct. 6 meeting, and work started the week of Oct. 20. Crews began with interior demolition and are getting ready for groundwork outside.

"Our station served us well for 20 years," Springer said. But the department is changing how it staffs. Rosemount is moving to 24/7 full-time crews and adding more full-time admin staff, so the station needs room to sleep and work.

Firefighter Health Is the Big Focus

Springer said the project is "really focused on firefighter health and wellness." The plan includes:

• A new addition for a separate contamination area. That's the "dirty" zone where crews clean off soot and carcinogens (cancer-causing particles) away from everyone else.
• Fitness and recovery areas
• Better ventilation to keep truck exhaust out of the station

Why Now: The SAFER Grant

Rosemount won a federal SAFER grant, which pays for nine full-time firefighters. They're expected to start in early 2027. "We need places for them to sleep," Malecha said. We covered the plan for 24/7 staffing at Station 2 earlier this year. And if you want a reminder of what Rosemount firefighters do, read about the house fire rescue that earned lifesaving awards.

How It's Being Paid For

Some residents at the meeting asked how construction can start before any bonds are sold. Here's what Malecha explained:

• In March, the council approved a "reimbursement resolution." That lets the city pay itself back from bond money later.
• On Sept. 15, the council gave preliminary approval for the bonds. Here's our story on that $14 million plan.
• The bonds will be sold in March, bundled with the new fire engine arriving around May. Bundling makes a "more attractive package" for buyers.

The city's Built to Play page lists the station remodel and new truck at $14.2 million. That's separate from Built to Play but on the same tax bill. It works out to about $70 a year on a median home once fully phased in.

The Bottom Line

The station work is moving. The goal is to have it ready as full-time crews arrive in 2027. One question still hangs out there. The Parks Commission vice chair asked what happens when the SAFER grant money runs out after three years, and staff didn't answer it at this meeting. It's worth watching at budget time. Questions can go to the Rosemount Fire Department through the city directory.