BEALS (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- The expansion of the easternmost marine research laboratory and education center in the United States is almost complete.
The $6.6 million expansion at the Downeast Institute in Beals includes nearly doubling the size of the hatchery area and a new wing of the building added for laboratories and office space.
"We're focusing on razor clams and mussels in addition to soft shell clams and arctic surf plans and all of that all of those species are commercial they're all harvested Maine people and we're looking to enhance that harvest and increased more again economic activity in those fisheries," said Brian Beal, director of research at Downeast Institute.
A new residence hall was also built as part of the project.
Construction will wrap up in August.
The money for the new expansion came from a bond issue that Maine voters passed in 2014, Harold Alfond Foundation and the next generation foundation of Maine.