Design plans for a new state health and crime laboratory to be located in Jefferson City are moving forward.
With plans to break ground by the end of the year, the state is preparing to build its multi-agency One Health Lab next to the existing State Health Lab on North Chestnut Street. The property sits across the street from the historic Missouri State Penitentiary, where the city has other developments in progress.
The 260,000-square-foot lab will house five state agencies, including the Department of Health and Senior Services, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Conservation and the Missouri Highway Patrol.
The state is currently working with a design consulting firm to identify each agency's requirements for the lab, said Chris Moreland, a spokesman for the Office of Administration. The schematic design phase should wrap up by May, he said.
Since announcing the lab last June, the state has contracted with MultiStudio, a Kansas City-based design consulting firm, on the design work.
Moreland said the state is selecting a construction manager to oversee the build. Interviews were conducted last week and OA's Division of Facilities Management, Design and Construction should make a selection by May, he said.
It's too early to tell when the state will break ground, Moreland said, but the goal is for the last quarter of the year and the project is on schedule.
FMDC has also been working with Ameren Electric to relocate high voltage lines spanning the site where the lab will be built, Moreland said. That work will begin this spring and wrap up by the fall.
"FMDC is coordinating with Ameren Gas, Missouri American Water and the City of Jefferson for all utilities required for the project," he added.
Moreland said he couldn't speculate about whether concurrent construction projects from the state and city in the same area would complicate completion of the project.
As the state lab construction is funded with federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars, spending has to be out the door by the end of 2026.
Construction is expected to total $183 million, which will go toward constructing the multi-story lab, expanding the existing State Health Lab and developing a parking lot to serve both facilities.
Based on current estimates, Moreland said the project is still within budget but it's too early to tell what kind of impact inflation might have.
The lab is expected to improve cooperation among state agencies to produce more comprehensive and rapid lab services.
DHSS plans to use the space to enhance training for hospital lab workers, expand life-saving newborn testing, improve public health environmental testing and add next generation molecular testing.
MDC will primarily use the facility to research big game species, such as black bear and elk, and other species, ranging from hellbenders to migrating waterfowl. DNR will use the new lab to house its Environmental Services Program, which will be relocated from its existing lab in Jefferson City once the new lab is complete. Environmental Services conducts air and water quality monitoring, chemical analysis and emergency environmental response.
MDA Director Chris Chinn said the laboratory is also a win for farmers and ranchers in the state because it will house testing that determines disease prevention practices on farms. Locating it in Jefferson City is beneficial to veterinarians throughout the state who deliver livestock samples to be tested by the state, she said.
Agricultural researchers conduct diagnostic, surveillance and pre-movement testing for several species out of the existing State Health Lab. Once the new facility is complete, the Animal Health Lab will be moved there, giving DHSS expanded space in the State Health Lab.
The lab will also house the Highway Patrol's DNA analysis for sexual assault cases, toxicology testing and fingerprint analysis for violent and non-violent crimes.
The Highway Patrol is moving all operations from the crime lab at its General Headquarters to the new campus once it's complete, and the old lab at the headquarters will be used to consolidate off-site operations, among other patrol functions, said Brian Hoey, director of the crime lab.
At the lab's announcement last summer, Gov. Mike Parson said it was a long overdue investment that will improve Missouri's services to residents and make the state a better place to work for scientists.
"It's going to be a one-stop shop, and it's going to make us do better," he said in June. "I think a lot of things we don't get out in a timely fashion simply because we don't have the space to do it or we don't have the ability to do it. I want to change that. I want to make sure we provide the services for the state of Missouri, for the people of this state."
CASCO Architecture, Engineering & Design created conceptual design renderings for the planned state health and crime lab to be built near the Missouri State Penitentiary site in Jefferson City. The renderings are solely conceptual and do not necessarily reflect the final design, according to the Missouri Office of Administration. (Courtesy/Office of Administration)