Kraus-Anderson completed Northern Environmental Center, a $13.5 million household hazardous waste and yard waste facility for Washington County at 20001 Forest Blvd. North in Forest Lake, Minnesota.
Designed by HCM Architects, the new 30,000-square-foot facility features two buildings separated by a drive lane and covered by a large canopy structure. The west office building includes private offices, meeting rooms, lockers and restrooms, and storage for Washington County staff, along with a large free products drop-off and pickup area for residents.
The east building is primarily for storage. The north portion of this building has explosion-proof fixtures used for recycling hazardous waste such as oil, aerosols and other chemicals. The building has numerous overhead doors to facilitate easy accessibility along the central drive lane and loading dock area.
The site has new drive lanes, parking areas, loading dock, shipping yard, organics and recyclable drop-off containers and a yard waste drop-off area. It also includes several large retaining walls, two security and attendant stations, vertical pivot entry gates, new sidewalks, trails, stormwater ponds and landscaping.
Construction began in September of 2023.
