What’s All The Commotion Near The North Dakota State Capitol Building?!

While driving past the Capitol Building, you may have noticed some construction.

Want to know what's going on?

New State Facility

If you haven't heard, we are in the process of building a new state laboratory.

Groundbreaking of the project started in April of this year (2024). According to nd.gov, construction will continue over the next year, and the facility should be complete by 2026.

When finished, it will be a 100,000 sq ft lab that costs around $70 million. The facility will be operated by 50 team members.

According to governor.nd.gov, the lab will be used to test germs and poisons. It will also be used to test air and water quality and various infectious diseases.

A Sneak Peek

Here's what it looked like when the project first started.

Why A State Lab?

According to nd.gov, Governor Doug Burgum said the following:

"We are excited to embark on this transformative and historic project, which underscores our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of all North Dakotans..."

He also said,

"...The new state laboratory will allow for safer and more efficient workflow while also enhancing our capabilities to respond effectively to emerging public health challenges and environmental threats."

According to nd.gov, the facility will house modern mechanical equipment to allow for a quality testing environment. It will also have a new training lab for continuous learning and safety training.

Here's how far along they are on the project now.

You can actually watch a live stream of the construction on the state's website. Cool, right?