AUSTIN — Work on a $28.5 million expansion to The Hormel Institute is off to a slower start than expected.

On May 28, Gov. Mark Dayton, U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, and other dignitaries held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the expansion that will add 20 state-of-the-art laboratories and better space for the Institute’s International Center of Research Technology. At that time, project coordinator Craig Jones expected work to start around June 23, but it’s yet to begin, and now Institute officials are now targeting a mid-to late August start date.

Construction on the roughly 63,100-square-foot expansion will take about 14 months. The project will be a winter build, which means officials plan to have the structure substantially enclosed by sometime this winter.

Work was pushed back as organizers finalized design plans and worked on agreements which involve the State of Minnesota, University of Minnesota, Austin Port Authority and The Hormel Foundation.

Once construction begins, Institute leaders expect the project is to move quickly.