Former NFLer’s converted firehouse across from Minnesota State Fair lists at $1.27M

Former NFL offensive lineman and Minnesota native Billy Turner was looking for a unique home in 2018.

He found it in an old firehouse near the State Fairgrounds.

“I consider myself a creative,” he said. “I sew and make art from time to time and wanted flexible space for living and creating.”

At the time, Turner was playing for the Denver Broncos but needed a home base in the Twin Cities, where he grew up and where his family still lives. He explored building outside the metro area until a childhood friend told him about this property. Turner and his father toured the firehouse and immediately recognized its potential. The raw, open space was a good fit for him, creatively and physically (he is 6-foot-5).

But there was a lot to do.

“It was a brick shell. There was no heating, AC, plumbing, and the windows were busted out,” Turner said. “But it had sort of a factory, industrial aesthetic that I’ve always been drawn to.”

Working with architect Tom Betti, Turner spent a year converting the 3,828-square-foot building into a three-bedroom, four-bath home. They also added an attached garage with room for four cars, plus a guest suite/studio and a sauna.

“It’s served me well,” he said.

Turner, a Mounds View grad who played college ball at North Dakota State, was a 2014 NFL Draft pick in the third round. He went on to play for 10 seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and New York Jets in addition to the Broncos.

The firehouse’s career lasted from 1922 to 1978. Architecturally, the building was considered a fairly utilitarian design: two stories, with one fire truck bay and a tower for drying fabric hoses. That was a departure from earlier Victorian, Romanesque and Beaux Arts fire stations in St. Paul.

The only decorative flourishes are a bit of stone window trim and a stone shield bearing the build date on the exterior — basic for the time but, to the modern eye, classic.

The building had several owners before Turner. Most used it for storage. The couple who sold it to Turner had explored converting the space into a restaurant but ran into zoning issues.

His goal was to honor the firehouse’s industrial bones while incorporating contemporary finishes and creature comforts. This included insulation, which the building lacked. ​Adding a layer of mineral wool between the brick walls and the new sheetrock provides a thermal barrier that allows the brick to breathe. New windows also improved energy efficiency.

To supplement the sole bedroom — the firehouse bunkroom, which is now the primary suite — Turner added a mezzanine level with a dedicated staircase, creating space for two new bedrooms. The former hose-drying tower now houses a large shower.

Tucked under the mezzanine is a modern kitchen with high-end appliances for entertaining large groups. Here, a finished ceiling gives the space a more conventional feel, along with flat cabinet fronts and trim-less windows, softening the building’s industrial character.

However, Turner left the ceiling’s wood beams and ducts exposed throughout the rest of the home. He retained the original floors, filling in the concrete trough on the main level where the truck wash-water once drained, though the outline remains visible.

He was involved in every step of the renovation and contributed to the finishing touches, including a set of vintage wooden panels Turner found that he and his father mounted on a track to slide in front of the TV. They also customized and distressed a set of steel doors for the mezzanine level.

She also pointed out Turner’s property has proven income potential. For the past few years, he’s rented the home for short-term stays and events. Combined with parking spot sales during the State Fair (the entrance is across the street), the property generated $70,000 last year.

Still, Turner is ready to move on to another project and hand the firehouse keys to a new owner, hopefully one who will appreciate what he’s loved about the home.

“It’s been an incredible place to live in, express myself and be surrounded by creative energy,” he said. “People who know me walk in and say, ‘Yep. This 100 percent represents how you navigate the world.’”

Cheri Welle and Jordyn Welle (763-742-3401, cheriwelle@kw.com) of Keller Williams Premier Realty have the $1,270,00 listing.