Firefighters First Credit Union East Coast Headquarters

The Challenge

Since 1935, Firefighters First Credit Union has served firefighters and their families with trusted financial services. The company originated in downtown Los Angeles, but made the expansion to the East Coast in 2026. 

After much research, the greater Nashville area proved to be the ideal location for the company’s East Coast Headquarters. TMP helped the client create a functional, welcoming facility that encompasses the spirit of the community they serve.

  • Client

    Firefighters First Federal Credit Union

  • Location

    Hendersonville, Tennessee

  • Size

    20,345 square feet

  • Distinguishing Features

    • Customized art installations throughout the building including fire hoses that form an American flag, a restored antique fire truck exhibit in the main lobby, a large, backlit panel with an image of the historic first Firefighters First Credit Union building, and more.
    • Top-of-the-line recording studio
    • 30-person board room

The Design Solution

When customers step into Firefighters First Credit Union, they should feel at home. TMP helped the client create an inviting facility that gives nods to company history, firefighter memorabilia, and the local community.

The grand lobby features a striking art installation of nine fire hoses that were painted and hung to resemble an American flag, as well as a display of historic firefighter helmets from some of the communities the credit union serves. A sweeping curved stair feels inviting and opens the space to the similarly curved reception desk. Additionally, there's a backlit panel behind the staircase showcasing an image of the credit union's first building.

Just off the lobby and adjacent to the branch bank, an antique fire truck exhibit acts as a jewel box, with a timeline mural featuring milestone moments in the credit union's history. The tin-look ceiling is a throwback to materials used in historic fire stations.

Upstairs, the office space features a 24-person training room, 30-person board room, and top-of-the-line recording studio where the client records commercials and videos. In the recording studio, the design team focused on acoustics, lighting, and designing an infinity wall, which provides a seamless backdrop for videography. Through its use of a wood plank ceiling, decorative light fixtures, curved table, and daylighting, the board room design shifts the room scale to fit 24 people at a table without feeling like a large space. The board room opens up to social space and an outdoor deck to allow for debriefing after a board meeting.

Using precedents of the credit union's historic first building and fire stations, the building's exterior has a mixture of scales to look both commercial and residential, including a pair of red, bi-fold doors that open to the antique truck exhibit. TMP worked with our partners to achieve the client's vision while following Hendersonville's Indiana Lake Village architectural guidelines, providing references to the credit union's history, and creating a welcoming space for the community they serve.

The Design Impact

The Firefighters First Credit Union East Coast Headquarters provides a much-needed service for firefighters in the community and acted as the catalyst for additional branches throughout the region.