A new 511 m² (5,500 sf) facility in Helena provides a permanent home for two Montana Department of Labor & Industry programs that oversee weights and measures and building-code enforcement statewide.

The state-owned facility houses the Weights & Measures and Building Codes programs. Its layout accommodates the vehicles, equipment, testing, and calibration work required to certify scales, pumps, and meters.

The site includes gated vehicle storage and pull-through circulation. The building is organized into three primary zones.

A maintenance bay provides space to service department trucks. An office and laboratory area includes a public lobby, conference room, and a small mass-certification lab. A larger mass-calibration space includes an overhead crane and specialized carts for work on cattle and truck scales.

The facility supports daily operations and allows for future expansion.

Cushing Terrell led the design effort and completed the construction documents on an accelerated eight-week schedule.

This schedule required close coordination between Cushing Terrell and Dick Anderson Construction. The teams incorporated real-time cost and constructability feedback as the construction documents developed.

The interior design draws on the Helena landscape and nearby Sleeping Giant Mountain, which is visible from the facility. Natural colors, wood, and stone informed the palette for fixtures, furniture, wall coverings, tile, and other finishes.

At the facility’s ribbon-cutting, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said the programs play an important role as the state’s economy grows. “By giving these programs a permanent home, we’re reducing long-term costs and avoiding future relocation expenses while supporting this important work,” Gianforte said.