INL plans to break ground on four new buildings

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Story Published: Jan 29, 2010 at 5:23 PM MST

Story Updated: Jan 29, 2010 at 10:39 PM MST

By Jennifer McGraw

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IDAHO FALLS - The INL is in the beginning stages of creating a complex that would interconnect all the labs, business buildings, and University place. This would create an ideal facility to not only break barriers, but also expand the economy here in Eastern Idaho.

"Nuclear facilities are expensive to build and they shouldn't be built all over the place. They need to be built on site and the research done in town," says Dave Hill, INL Deputy Director for Science and Technology.

If you look at the current placement of the INL buildings in Idaho Falls, you'll notice they're all spread apart. The INL hopes to fill in the gaps over the next five years, making it a complete campus.

"Staff now is at about 4,000 people in the lab and when you add in visitors and increasing number of visitors, we're already strapped for people to sit. The more work we do, we'll create a demand for space, office space, scientific buildings," says Hill.

The new buildings will include a testing demonstration center, a research and education lab, a cafeteria, and a second CAES building. Since this land is all privately owned, Idaho Falls City Council plays a big roll in clearing a path for the buildings to be built.

"We went to city council to primarily inform them, so they can see the long term vision and how it fits into city planning," says Bob Miklos, INL Director of Project Management Office.

Idaho Falls City Council is already working on plans to rezone some of this area. Council members recognize that a growing lab will help grow the city's economy.

"We really want to take advantage of the local developers who are willing to invest in facilities and provide us both the office and laboratory space we need for our personnel," says Miklos.

Creating construction jobs for the next five years and more staffing for the INL.

The Council rezoned a piece of that land in a meeting last night to allow for a $30-million dollar project to break ground within the next few months.

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