Ongoing Capitol Renovation Project Updated to Commission – Harlan Enterprise

The discussion about the ongoing renovation project of the State Capitol campus was among the topics discussed Monday during a meeting of the Interim Joint State Committee on State Government.

Visitors to the state Capitol have seen scaffolding around the dome for years, which was the first phase of the project. Once that is complete, work will begin on the structure’s interior, which is expected to cost more than $291 million and take 3 1/2 years to complete.

Sam Ruth, commissioner of the Department of Facilities and Support Services for the Finance and Administration Cabinet, told the committee that part of the work includes $14 million for temporary structures where the House of Representatives and Senate will meet while renovations to the 120-year-old building are underway.

The temporary building is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year and the legislature will move in in June 2025, after the 2025 General Assembly session.

“The plan is to dismantle it after the work is done and use it somewhere else,” he said. “Where that is, I don’t know, but it can be taken down and reused.”

In addition to lawmakers leaving the Capitol, all Constitutional officials, including the governor, will have to find temporary shelter elsewhere in Frankfort. The Supreme Court has already made plans to relocate while the work is underway.

Treasury and Administration Secretary Holly Johnson testified that the entire project has gone further than initially thought.

“Restorations were more expensive than originally planned,” she said. “Where we were originally told there would be a restoration, upon further investigation, it required total replacement. We worked with the engineering and design firm to determine what was needed to preserve the building, ensure the safety of the occupants and visitors, security and code compliance.”

Johnson said that when the architectural firm completed its detailed study, “there were some challenges that required a review of certain elements in the planning and design of the project, as well as some cost issues.”

She said Gov. Andy Beshear will soon meet with House Speaker David Osborne and Senate President Robert Stivers to discuss what the study found and what it means for the overall project.

Johnson stated that despite the study’s findings, it should still be possible to keep it within budget.