Capitol renovation takes on urgent tone

Posted at 1:08 PM on November 1, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

State officials moved a bit closer today to the launch of a major renovation of Minnesota Capitol building.

Gov. Mark Dayton and other members of the Capitol Preservation Commission approved spending up to $150 million $150,000 for pre-design work for the project. The panel also adopted guiding principles for the renovation that focus on architectural integrity, building function and safety. Lawmakers have not yet approved the full project, which is estimated to cost more than $200 million. Dayton says the cost is daunting, but he says the current deterioration of the Capitol is adding urgency to the discussion.

"It will be more expensive to do it five years or 10 years from now," Dayton said. "That's a guarantee. So if we do it, let's do it right and do it in a way that is as much as we can foresee will put it in the kind of condition for the next 100 years that the people of Minnesota for the next 100 years would expect of us."

Legislators have come close to approving Capitol renovations before, but House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, says he now believes there is the political will to follow through with the project.

Here's a May 2011 report that details the problems at the Capitol:

MN Capitol - Facility Condition Executive Summary Report - May 2011[1]

Comments (2)

Which is it? $150 million or $150,000 for pre-design? How strange to show edits in the article.

Posted by DS | November 2, 2011 9:28 AM

Funny how they can find the money to renovate their own space but not for a new stadium. Can't wait to vote these clowns out of office in 2012

Posted by Joe salmon | November 5, 2011 9:38 AM

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