From Sirens To Silence, And Then To Homes: Coon Rapids Closes The Book On Old Fire Station 3

The wrecking ball arrived quietly, but its meaning was anything but small.

With demolition now underway at the former Fire Station 3 site, the City of Coon Rapids has formally closed the final chapter on a property that has served the community in multiple public roles for nearly six decades. In its place, the city is preparing the ground for a new beginning: eight single-family homes built through a deliberate infill strategy aimed at strengthening established neighborhoods rather than expanding outward.

A long-serving public site reaches its end

The two-acre parcel at 2831 113th Avenue NW, near Crooked Lake Boulevard, has been vacant since January 2024, when firefighters relocated to a new, modern Fire Station 3 directly across from Anoka-Ramsey Community College. The new facility functions not only as a fire station but as a regional training hub, replacing a building that could no longer meet contemporary safety standards or accommodate modern emergency equipment.

The former structure, largely dating back to the 1970s with a significant remodel in 1998, had reached the end of its practical lifespan. City officials opted to oversee demolition directly, beginning in January 2026, as a cost-management measure and to maintain tight control over site preparation.

From municipal use to infill housing

What follows demolition is not speculative development, but a carefully planned land-use transition years in the making.

The city rezoned the property to Low Density Residential-3 (LDR-3), a zoning classification specifically created to allow slightly higher-density single-family housing on smaller infill lots while remaining compatible with surrounding neighborhoods. This step aligned with broader comprehensive-plan goals to increase housing supply without altering the character of established residential areas.

The city subsequently sold the property for approximately $33,000 to Amana Homes, which plans to develop an eight-lot single-family subdivision. Construction is expected to follow site clearance and final permitting later this year.

A site shaped by decades of civic use

Long before fire trucks rolled out onto 113th Avenue, the land served other public purposes:

• 1966: The city acquired the property.
• 1972: An ice arena was constructed on the site, reflecting the community’s recreational needs at the time.
• 1970: Fire Station 3 was built, later becoming a familiar anchor in the Crooked Lake Boulevard area.
• 2012: The ice arena was demolished, consolidating the site’s use around emergency services.
• 2024: Fire operations ceased as crews moved to the new facility.

Each iteration reflected the city’s evolving priorities, from recreation to public safety and now to housing.

Neighborhood impact and the logic of change

For nearby residents, the transition is expected to bring a noticeable shift in daily life. Replacing a fire station with homes removes the routine disruption of sirens, heavy vehicle movements, and 24-hour emergency activity from a predominantly residential setting. In its place will be housing that mirrors the scale and form of the surrounding single-family homes and nearby multifamily dwellings.

City planners have framed the redevelopment as a way to return an idle public asset to productive use while respecting neighborhood context, a core principle of infill development.

Closing one chapter, opening another

As the old station comes down, what remains is not a loss but a recalibration of space and purpose. Where emergency calls once echoed through open bay doors, front porches and driveways will soon take shape.

In Coon Rapids, the demolition of Fire Station 3 is not just the end of a building. It is a reminder that cities, like the people who live in them, must adapt. And sometimes, progress begins with making room.

MinneapoliMedia