Renovations are starting on the north wing of the Illinois Capitol. The scheduled renovations are part of the $224 million that will provide more access and security according to the Office of the Architect of the Capitol. This price tag is already appropriated by the Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan.
Capitol News Illinois reports that plans will include the following:
- Constructing an underground parking garage with connected tunnels
- Elimination of the circle drive on the north side of the Capitol
- Addition of a new entry
- Updating new stairs to allow for emergency exits directly outdoors
- New fire alarms
- New sprinklers
- New lighting
- Accessible bathrooms, entryways, door hardware
- Modernized mechanical and electrical systems
- Modernized heating and ventilation systems
- Underground conference and meeting room area
"We are very fortunate that we have a statehouse to be proud of. There are other states that have statehouses that look like a high-rise that you would see in Chicago. We want to take care of a historic building and, unfortunately, the older buildings are the ones that need the most work."
Director of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol | Andrea Aggertt
The Illinois Senate will convene in the Howlett Auditorium after the 2022 spring session and will continue meeting there until renovations are scheduled to be completed.
The purpose of the renovation is to address safety and security concerns, and also to return the historic architectural detail to the capitol.
The restoration will also return some of the history to the building that was completed in 1876 at a cost of $4.5 million which would also include:
- Removing recessed ceilings
- Removing non-historic millwork
- Removing mezzanines from the north wing
Construction for the underground parking garage will begin in coming weeks.
The goal of the renovation is as follows:
- To improve security by removing vehicles from close proximity to the building
- Creating a visitor screen area on the outside of the Capitol structure
- Installing electronic locking and lockdown capability and duress buttons
In 2011, the west wing of the Capitol underwent a two-year, $50 million renovation. The renovation met with scrutiny when the price for three mahogany doors clad in copper was revealed to have cost $700,000. The original doors were replaced in the 1970's with glass and aluminum doors.
According to The Center Square, the total project will take years to complete. The funding will come from the Rebuild Illinois capital construction plan and also revenue from gambling expansion to pay for projects around the state.
A list of the four-phased plan from the architect shows a total cost of $224.3 million, but the budget is around $300 million. The final phase will be completed in January 2025.
