The contractor responsible for building Teddy Roosevelt’s presidential library has revealed striking new images of the construction, with the facility—the first U.S. presidential library to use mass timber—still on track to open July 4, 2026, America’s 250th anniversary.
“One of the most significant construction challenges has been navigating the rugged terrain of the North Dakota Badlands, which demands careful planning around site access, logistics and environmental protection,” according to Trevor Leingang, the project manager from Kansas City-based JE Dunn Construction who is working on the once-in-a-lifetime project.
Designed by Snøhetta, the library, which hangs over a giant rock, is sculpted in a butte-inspired form, with Grand Forks’ JLG Architecture serving as the architect of record. “The main library building rises from the butte, echoing the surrounding landforms,” explains Snøhetta founding partner Craig Dykers. “Visitors are invited on a journey through a preserved landscape of diverse habitats, punctuated with small pavilions providing spaces for reflection and activity.”
Crucially, timber lies at the heart of the design, appropriate given Roosevelt was instrumental in establishing the US Forest Service: “It was selected for its renewability and ability to store carbon,” Leingang told ENR Midwest today, with Mercer Mass Timber – the United States largest producer of mass timber – suppliying more than 1,800 cubic metres of cross-laminated and glue-laminated timber, including glulam beams for the roof and glulam-clad steel columns.
“We have a part steel, part mass timber building, and a lot of those connections can be tricky,” according to Tony Erickson, director of design and construction for the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL), who in July revealed that the $420 million project was “about 60% to 65% complete.” “JE Dunn did a lot of site visits to the plants and a lot of mock-ups.” Leingang adds, “Detailed early modelling, extensive use of BIM and mock-ups are essential to avoid surprises.”
Brutal winter conditions and a single access laneway have not slowed progress. “It’s up on a butte, and there’s only one road in there,” Erickson says. “There were days when it was minus 10 degrees, and they were still out there pouring concrete.” To mitigate weather risks, Leingang says, “We’ve built in schedule buffers, selected weather-resistant materials and adapted workflows to align with seasonal conditions.”
Pursuing Living Building Challenge certification—the standard’s more stringent than LEED Platinum—the team worked with Dickinson Ready Mix to develop a low-carbon concrete mix. “Our cementitious mix has 70 per cent recycled materials, including fly ash,” says division manager Ben Olin. “It’s unheard of in this area”.
At peak, more than 150 workers—from carpenters and ironworkers to mass-timber installers—will be on site for the installation. “We conduct weekly all-hands coordination meetings, regular owner-architect-contractor sessions and use tools like Autodesk for real-time documentation,” Leingang explains. “This approach transforms the building into more than just a structure—it becomes a living dialogue between past, present and future, echoing the multifaceted legacy of Theodore Roosevelt himself.”
- To learn more about the Presidential Library, click here for Wood Central’s special feature, including an interview with Nick Milestone, the Vice President of Building and Construction for Mercer Mass Timber.
