The office where Fort Dodge area residents went for decades to get their driver’s licenses is now closed.

The Iowa Department of Transportation closed the office at 2313 First Ave. S. to prepare for opening a new facility just a few blocks to the east.

The new office at 3229 First Ave. S. will open on Tuesday, according to an announcement from the Department of Transportation.

The office had to be moved because it was in a strip mall that was purchased in January 2020 by Nestle Purina PetCare, which has a plant immediately to the south.

The sale of that building affected two other businesses. Godfather’s Pizza closed on May 13. Child Care Discovery Center is building a new facility near 32nd Street and 14th Avenue North.

The new home of the driver’s license station is a 4,500-square-foot building constructed specifically for it.

The building is owned by DOT Fort Dodge LLC, which is leasing it to the state.

Construction began in February, with Jensen Builders Ltd., of Fort Dodge, as the general contractor.

Services will be available by appointment only at the new office. To make an appointment, go to iowadot.gov/mvd/driverslicense/service-selector.