Kraus-Anderson completes household hazardous waste and yard waste facility in Forest Lake

April 9, 2025

Kraus-Anderson has completed Northern Environmental Center, a $13.5 million household hazardous waste and yard waste facility for Washington County located at 20001 Forest Blvd. North in Forest Lake, Minn.

Designed by HCM Architects, the new 30,000-square-foot facility features two buildings separated by a drive lane and covered by a large canopy structure. The west office building includes private offices, meeting rooms, lockers and restrooms, and storage for Washington County staff, along with a large free products drop-off and pickup area for residents.

The east building is primarily for storage. The north portion of this building has explosion-proof fixtures used for recycling hazardous waste such as oil, aerosols and other chemicals. The building has numerous overhead doors to facilitate easy accessibility along the central drive lane and loading dock area.

The site has new drive lanes, parking areas, loading dock, shipping yard, organics and recyclable drop-off containers and a yard waste drop-off area. It also includes several large retaining walls, two security and attendant stations, vertical pivot entry gates, new sidewalks, trails, stormwater ponds and landscaping.

Construction began in September of 2023.

About Kraus-Anderson Companies

Established in 1897, Kraus-Anderson (www.krausanderson.com) is an integrated construction management, real estate and risk management enterprise working independently and in collaboration with a family of companies, including insurance, finance and realty operations. Kraus-Anderson, an Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action employer, is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. and has regional offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wis., Bismarck and Fargo, N.D., Duluth, Bemidji and Rochester Minn., Des Moines, Iowa and Phoenix, Ariz.