Kraus-Anderson completed construction on a new $63.7 million laboratory facility for the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Environmental Quality on North Dakota’s State Capitol grounds adjacent to the State Museum in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Designed by Zerr Berg Architects, the three-story, 104,230-square-foot facility features an expanded capacity for future tests such as toxicology of non-fatal overdoses, hematology and chemistry tests for North Dakota correctional facilities. Separate departments will share resources in the facility, maximizing each department’s utilization.
Sample drop-off spaces are located at the main entry, simplifying the process of receiving samples and minimizing the risk of errors in the lab’s critical workflow. The North Dakota National Guard Civil Support Team on levels 2 and 3 will also provide secure spaces for unknown and white-powder testing processes without interrupting other testing processes in the building.
Staff experience will be improved with the inclusion of dedicated break areas, outdoor seating spaces, private office spaces and access to daylight within building.
The facility is also a key part of a strategy to grow North Dakota’s scientific workforce by presenting opportunities for a career in laboratory work in the state. The lab’s 3 suites were designed to create a “citizen experience” zone, allowing the public to participate in guided tours of the lab spaces without interrupting testing functions.
Partnership opportunities with health systems throughout North Dakota also feature state-of-the-art training facilities, which include both classroom and laboratory spaces to operate programs, such as a Bioterror Workshop for hospital lab teams to improve lab safety throughout the state.
