Final beam raised on UND Nistler project

A milestone today (Thu) for the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration building project on the UND campus.

The final structural beam was raised on the $70 million building, which will replace Gamble Hall.

UND President Andrew Armacost says the university is trying to be novel in funding new campus projects.

“For example, the Nistler College is funded by both private dollars and also state funds,” Armacost said. “There’s a matching program the state put into place that allowed us to, if we raised a certain amount of money, the state would chip in a portion of the cost of the building, as well.”

The building and college are named for Werner and Colleen Nistler, who donated the lead gift toward construction of the building.

Ground was broken last September. The goal is to have the 123,000-square-foot building completed in August of 2022.

The building is located at the corner of University Avenue and Centennial Drive.

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UND release:

The final structural beam was raised into place today on the Nistler College of
Business & Public Administration (NCoBPA) building project on the campus of the University of North
Dakota. The beam raising marks a major milestone in the construction project and was celebrated with a
luncheon for construction workers.
UND President Andrew Armacost told the workers it was just September when the groundbreaking
ceremony was held next to a hole in the ground and, already, they’ve reached this important point in the
construction. “We’ve been stunned by the progress that has gone on here,” he said.
Armacost said a plaque would be installed that will list the names of all the people who will have worked
on the building. “You’re the ones who made this happen,” he said.
NCoBPA Dean Amy Henley reminded the construction workers that their efforts will benefit students for
generations to come. “When the doors of this building open,” Henley said, “your amazing efforts on this
project will impact generations of future leaders. You have built an iconic building that will be forever
centered in the heart of our campus, creating connections for our campus, our students and the
community as a whole.”
The Nistler College of Business & Public Administration building project is being funded by $50 million in
private donations and $20 million provided by the state of North Dakota during the 2019 Legislative
Session. The successful fundraising effort was kicked off with a lead gift from Werner, a 1968 UND
graduate, and Colleen Nistler.
“This building is a credit to our donors, our state lawmakers, UND leadership and, of course, all of you
who are taking this dream and lifting, hammering, welding, and willing it into existence,” said DeAnna
Carlson Zink, CEO of the UND Alumni Association & Foundation. “On behalf of the students who will
benefit from your labor, I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you!”
The tradition of having donors, dignitaries and others sign the beam before its placement has been
modified due to COVID-19 restrictions. Instead, during Homecoming this fall, people will be asked to sign
a magnetic sheet that will be affixed to the beam, which will be visible in the fourth-floor faculty lounge.
Following the luncheon, the beam was raised into place and workers then unfurled an American flag at
the top of the north tower.
Construction on the 123,000-square-foot building started in August. The goal is to have the building
completed in time for the start of classes in August of 2022. The construction is being managed by PCL
Construction and Community Contractors.

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