It’s been a big summer for the HMC Community + Culture practice as the team has secured two important project wins for Southern California municipal clients. These projects, a fire station, a public safety headquarters, and a community center, will help deliver key services and quality-of-life amenities for these communities.
City of Chino Community Recreation Center and County of San Bernardino Public Library
The design process is well underway for a new community center, gymnasium, and public library as part of The Preserve at Chino, a master-planned community development within the City of Chino. As new neighborhoods are built in rapidly growing areas, such as the Inland Empire, these facilities represent critical social infrastructure that helps to build a sense of community. This facility, totaling nearly 47,000 SF of programmed space, will be especially important to the young families moving into the area. It is a community-building project meant to bring people together in celebration (community center), recreation (gymnasium), and learning (library).
HMC is working collaboratively with the Lewis Group of Companies, the developer, the City of Chino, and the County of San Bernardino. The project is a design-assist with Bernards Construction. Design assist is very much like a design-build, but without the contractual ties. Bernards is actively involved in cost estimating, logistics, and constructability during design phases, helping the owner deliver this project (along with HMC) on time and budget.
HMC inherited this project from another architect who was not delivering to the client’s expectations. We began work in early schematics, and since then, have gotten the project back on track—the project schedule has been achieved, and the stakeholders have been very happy with the HMC team. We navigated the City of Chino design review board by modifying some elements of the original design. The interiors team has really excelled on this project, creating fantastic, holistic themes around the concept of “Main Street” that align closely with the themes of the master-planned community development.
Construction will begin in March 2026, with completion anticipated for May 2027.
San Bernardino County New Fire Station 222
The Community + Culture team is excited to partner with San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCFPD) and Project & Facilities Management Department (PFMD) to design the new Fire Station 222 in San Bernardino, California—replacing the current, nearly 60-year-old facility. Located next to Bobby Vega Park in a quiet neighborhood, the modern, 10,000-square-foot station will feature three apparatus bays, seven dorm rooms, and four single bathrooms.
Due to site constraints, the new building will likely be two stories, with an efficient layout to support rapid emergency response. Thoughtful design will integrate the station into its surroundings using durable, low-maintenance materials, while also prioritizing firefighter wellness. Private patios, calming interiors, and functional living spaces will create a restorative environment between calls. Site improvements will include a public parking lot, secure gated parking, a fuel storage tank, a generator, and privacy walls.
HMC is teamed up with TCA Architects—national leaders in public safety design, with over 400 fire stations completed. TCA’s insights, combined with our local knowledge and community-first approach, will bring a dynamic, forward-thinking perspective to this vital civic building.
Built in 1963, Fire Station 222 has long served as a pillar of community protection. With San Bernardino’s population more than doubling over the past six decades, the new station will address the evolving demands of a diverse workforce, embrace health and wellness design principles, and leverage state-of-the-art technology. This project is an investment in safety, resilience, and the dedicated professionals who protect the community every day. Fire Station 222 is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the safety and well-being of a region we’ve proudly served for over eight decades!
Construction will begin in July 2026, with occupancy expected in October 2027.
