Bellevue has a new fire station for the first time in 30 years, and it looks nothing like one.

Fire Station 10 sits at 1225 112th Ave. NE on a nearly 3-acre forested site. The 26,520-square-foot facility features a restored wetland, bright red Adirondack chairs on an elevated deck, and a covered porch facing the surrounding neighborhood.

The station, designed by the Seattle office of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, serves as the city's primary emergency response hub for downtown, Northwest Bellevue and BelRed, as first reported by Architectural Record.

With Bellevue's population nearly doubling over the past three decades, the city faced a growing gap in emergency coverage. The station's location between a residential neighborhood and downtown's high-rises helps maintain the city's four-minute response goal, according to the city of Bellevue.

The architects were mindful of the neighbors.

"I don't think anyone who owns a home would be excited about a fire station being built next door," said Ray Calabro, a principal at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. "They think about noise, traffic, and activity, so we tried to be sensitive."

Calabro and project architect Greg Gettman oriented the apparatus bay away from nearby houses. The restored wetland serves as a natural buffer. The two-story building sits on the street-facing side of the property, with forest screening the residential neighborhood behind it.

The station doubles as a community gathering spot. A sheltered porch serves as outdoor space for monthly open houses and community workshops. Inside, a lobby features gallery walls displaying historical Bellevue Fire Department artifacts, including old photos, red helmets and vintage fire hoses.

A classroom off the lobby hosts CPR workshops and battalion trainings. On the opposite side, an expansive glass wall frames the apparatus bay, turning the fire trucks into a display visible from adjacent McCormick Park.

The five-bay station houses 14 emergency responders working 48-hour shifts, according to the firm's project page. Living quarters include a kitchen and dining area, fitness room and bunk rooms.

The station earned both LEED Gold and Salmon-Safe certifications. A rooftop solar array, rainwater cistern for toilet flushing and truck washing, infrastructure for charging electric vehicles, and a planted roof over the staff quarters all contributed.

Fiber cement cladding on exterior walls reduces toxic runoff. During construction, contaminated soil was remediated as part of a brownfield cleanup, according to the city's announcement.

The station has already earned recognition. It won the People's Choice Award from the Bellevue and Seattle 2030 Districts and a Merit Award from AIA Washington's Civic Design Awards.

City Manager Diane Carlson said in an April 17 statement that Fire Station 10 and the city's Sustainable Bellevue Plan reflect Bellevue's commitment to environmental goals.

The station's schedule for upcoming monthly open houses has not been announced publicly.