New North Dakota State Hospital Project on Time, on Budget

Lindsey Ashley has a direct answer for anyone watching Jamestown's $300 million state hospital project: on budget and on time. Ashley, the North Dakota Office of Management and Budget's statewide construction manager, confirmed the project's status this spring as Mortenson Construction crews work through foundation pours and structural framing across multiple sections of the site west of 12th Avenue Southeast.

As of March 16, contractors had billed $25.1 million, roughly 8% of the total appropriation, according to Mortenson's monthly progress report. That pace tracks against a legislature-backed $300 million budget approved through HB 1015, funded by $200 million from the State Investment Infrastructure Fund and up to $100 million from a Bank of North Dakota line of credit. Construction mobilized in July 2025, with the official groundbreaking held Aug. 18 of that year.

Ashley said crews made good progress through variable winter conditions. "The weather has had its ups and downs, but is going well," she said. "They are working on section A and on the foundations of other areas." Section A is an inpatient area at the northernmost end of the building. About 425 workers have completed the orientation process that qualifies them to work on the project; daily on-site crews average between 85 and 100.

The new facility, designed by JLG Architects and associate architect Architecture+, will consolidate the existing campus, reducing more than 540,000 square feet of aging buildings, some in continuous service since 1883, into approximately 295,000 square feet of purpose-built space. The building is organized around 140 beds and a "home," "neighborhood," and "downtown" model intended to support trauma-informed treatment. Programs include forensic evaluation and restoration, a Geriatric Psychiatric Unit, and the Sex Offender Treatment and Evaluation Program, services that directly shape how Stutsman County and the state manage individuals in behavioral health crisis who would otherwise face prolonged law enforcement holds or incarceration.

Medical Director Dr. Eduardo Yabut framed the mission at the August groundbreaking: "This new hospital strengthens our ability to deliver skilled care in a secure, respectful and clinically effective ways because every person here, no matter what they've done, deserves that."

The Office of Management and Budget holds managerial oversight and a steering committee meets at defined intervals to monitor design and construction decisions. The construction portion is internally budgeted at $248 million, with the remaining $52 million covering soft costs, furniture, technology, and contingency within the $300 million ceiling.

Structural steel work began in December 2025. Building enclosure is scheduled to start in April 2026, with the structure complete by October 2026. Finishes are targeted for completion in October 2027, substantial construction completion in winter 2027, and the facility set to open in spring 2028.