Check out the ABC 25 Columbia news segment covering the groundbreaking ceremony here!

 

In partnership with HDR, Caplea Coe Architects (CCA) is designing a new four‑story, 140,000 GSF public health
laboratory for the South Carolina Department of Public Health. The building is located beside the existing
facility to allow uninterrupted testing operations during construction. Its design brings together a wide range of
public health functions, sample intake and processing, analytical chemistry, microbiology, newborn screening,
and laboratory training, within a modern environment. A defining element of the project is the specialized
Level 1 chemical laboratory, one of only ten in the nation, created to provide surge capacity to the CDC during
chemical‑threat emergencies.

The design integrates advanced microbiology suites, including BSL‑3 laboratories for high‑containment testing,
alongside dedicated spaces for environmental health programs such as air‑quality analysis, radiological
services, and medical entomology. The building’s circulation and shared spaces are designed to guide
movement naturally and maintain long‑term resilience. Together, these spaces form a highly specialized facility
that strengthens the state’s ability to respond to public health needs and protect the communities it serves.

 

Consultant Team: HDR (Associate Architect/MEP Engineering/Laboratory Design) • MMSA, Inc. (Structural Engineering) • Hussey Gay Bell
(Civil Engineering/Landscape Architect) • Talevi + Haesche (Cost Estimating) • WM Building Envelope (Building Envelope Design)

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