Digging In For Groundbreaking of New Virginia Government Services Center North Building
The $19 million project is a 63,000 square foot building, which will house more than 10 departments and 180 employees.
Virginia, Minn. – It was an exciting day in the city of Virginia.
Ground was broken for a new multi–million dollar government services center.
It’s a project that’s been in the works for years to better meet the needs of people living in northern St. Louis County.
The city of Virginia is getting the new government services building because the existing facilities are too old to renovate.
It’s taken about 12 years to get this far. The current Northland office building, as it’s called, has been used for almost seven decades.
“The old building has served its purpose for the last 70 years,” said Property Management Director Tony Mancuso. “It’s time for an upgrade and new building.”
The $19 million project is a 63,000 square foot building, which will house more than 10 departments and 180 employees.
“I’m really excited about this being built in Virginia,” said Virginia Mayor Larry Cuffe. “It’s really a big campus for government service and I can’t thank the county enough and the citizens that are supporting this project.”
The new Government Service Center North building will serve as a centralized hub for Virginia and surrounding areas, which has always been one of the overall goals.
“Have the public be able to come to one stop shopping at each area of the county and this is the final step in that 20 year process,” said Mancuso.
City leaders say the vision for this county starts at the top.
The new center will allow St. Louis County to better serve the public.
“You are professional. you deserve a professional place to work and a professional place to provide your services in and that’s what this new county building is going to do,” said Cuffe.
The project will have a significant economic impact and will be built with american steel by local union labor members.
“We want to go to work where we live. We pay taxes with this,” said Iron Range Buildings Trade President Michael Syversrud. “So this brings a lot more work for our members into the area.”
Max Gray Construction is the contractor for the project and construction is expected to be complete by the fall of 2019.
