Those responsible for Michigan’s first mass timber building built with Michigan wood gathered April 16 to celebrate the official opening of the new DNR Customer Service Center in Newberry.

The project, featuring cross-laminated panels made with Michigan red pine wood, achieves a significant milestone as this construction technique continues to gain in popularity across the continent.

According to Michigan State University’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, “Mass timber buildings are cropping up across North America, along with factories that manufacture these versatile, sustainable, engineered wood building materials. That’s because mass timber offers a compelling suite of benefits.” Those include progress toward forest health management goals, rural economic development and new opportunities in manufacturing.

Building with mass timber also can reduce construction times, costs, crew sizes and equipment needs, and create beautiful buildings that people love to work, learn and live in, according to MSU.

“Mass timber materials result in fewer carbon emissions to source, make and transport,” Sandra Lupien, director of MassTimber@MSU, told the Newberry News in 2024. “As does all wood, mass timber products store carbon, holding it in place in the building, keeping it out of the atmosphere for 50, 100 to 200 years. With the Newberry customer service center, the DNR is demonstrating mass timber leadership by going first.”

When groundbreaking for the DNR building occurred in 2024, there were five buildings in Michigan either built or in progress using mass timber. Today, there are 60. The DNR anticipates hosting a public open house this summer at the Newberry CSC, located at 5666 M-123. Meanwhile, the new facility is open for business!

Take a video tour of this new mass timber building.

Questions? Contact Matt Watkeys, DNR forest marketing and outreach specialist, at WatkeysM@Michigan.gov.