Gilbane-Turner-HOK Team Has Begun Construction on $1.7 Billion Public Health Laboratory

New York State Department of Health’s New Wadsworth Center Laboratory to Enhance State’s Readiness to Respond to Public Health Crises.

Construction is officially underway on the planned $1.7 billion, state-of-the-art public health laboratory that will transform New York’s ability to detect, prevent, and respond to emerging public health threats. Construction is being delivered through a design-build contract led by the joint venture of Gilbane Building Company and Turner Construction Company, with design partner HOK. The new building will begin full operations by 2030. 

The new Wadsworth Center facility will consolidate five unconnected sites across the Greater Albany area into a single, modern campus, strengthening the State’s capacity to respond to future public health challenges, support the next generation of scientists, and foster collaboration with partners across the country. Since 1901, the Wadsworth Center has grown into the largest and most diverse state public health laboratory in the nation. The design-build team’s design for the new laboratory shows a five-story, 663,000-square-foot laboratory.

“The new Wadsworth Center Laboratory is a powerful investment in the health of every person in New York State,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “The lab will allow the State to better predict and prepare for emerging threats to public health and will be one of the most authoritative public health laboratories in the country, impacting public health policy and practice at the state, national and international level.”

New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “The Department of Health’s new Wadsworth Center Laboratory is testament to Governor Hochul’s commitment to protecting public health by keeping New York State at the forefront of advancements in disease surveillance. This facility will help us ensure our nation-leading public health research laboratory remains on the cutting edge of biomedical and environmental research critical to protecting public health.”

Dormitory Authority of the State of New York President and CEO Robert J. Rodriguez said, “DASNY is proud to deliver this transformational $1.7 billion project for the Department of Health. As the state's construction and financing authority, we are committed to building infrastructure that serves New Yorkers for generations to come. This represents one of the most significant public health laboratory projects in the nation, and our team is working closely with our design-build partners to ensure the Wadsworth Center receives a world-class facility worthy of its renowned scientific mission. We thank Governor Hochul for her vision and commitment to this critical investment in New York's public health infrastructure.”

“We are proud to partner with the State of New York, Gilbane, HOK, and the trade partners on this world-class facility that will help protect and improve the health of the people of New York,” said Carl Stewart III, vice president and general manager, Turner. “It is so incredibly rewarding to collaborate on a project enhancing New York’s capabilities to efficiently and effectively prepare for and respond to public health matters.”

“Gilbane is honored to team with Turner and HOK to advance New York’s public health preparedness,” said John LaRow, senior vice president, Gilbane. “We look forward to working with our team of building and design experts and partnering with the Hochul administration to deliver the state-of-the-art public health facility that New York deserves.”

“Public health laboratories must be nimble enough to tackle the next unknown threat while supporting day-to-day surveillance,” said David Schwartz, AIA, HOK’s director of Science + Technology in New York. “By consolidating five legacy sites into a flexible, fully electric facility with robust sequencing infrastructure, we’re creating a resilient workplace that will serve New Yorkers for decades.”

Today, the Wadsworth Center stands at the forefront of innovation, protecting the health of New Yorkers and communities even far beyond the State’s borders. The Center is recognized by the CDC and other federal agencies as a national reference center for a wide range of infectious diseases, environmental hazards, and toxicological threats.

To be located on the W. Averell Harriman Campus in Albany, the Wadsworth Center will foster an even closer collaboration with the nearby SUNY University at Albany campus, building on academic partnerships that date back to the mid-1980s, as well as with the adjacent New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Laboratory. The laboratory will house nearly 800 staff and is being designed to adapt to evolving needs over its lifetime, with a strong emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability.

The Wadsworth Center leads a wide array of nation-leading programs that have made New York a model for public health laboratories nationwide. Together, these programs have driven innovation, strengthened preparedness, and safeguarded communities from emerging threats.

• Public Health Emergency Response: Led detection and surveillance of the 2022 poliovirus outbreak, including identification of the first U.S. case of paralytic polio.

• Wastewater Surveillance and Diagnostics: Serves as New York State’s primary wastewater surveillance laboratory for the detection of emerging pathogens and antimicrobial resistance.

• Environmental Health Leadership: Functions as the State’s lead Safe Drinking Water Act laboratory and a national leader in detection, monitoring, and reporting.

• Innovative Diagnostic Testing Pipelines: The Center’s diagnostic developments outpace the CDC in areas of testing for tuberculosis, Mpox, and influenza.

• Newborn Screening Program: Advances the screening of newborns for more than 210,000 babies annually for 50+ disorders, enabling early diagnosis and life-saving care.

• Regulatory and Oversight Programs: Sets and enforces rigorous statewide laboratory standards, exceeding federal requirements and serving as a national model.

The Wadsworth Center celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. The new laboratory will carry this proud legacy forward, ensuring the Wadsworth Center remains a world-class public health institution serving New York State and beyond for generations to come.