Photo courtesy of Dionne Whetstone
The first few months of work mostly involved excavation.
A long overdue project in Montgomery, Ala., is beginning to take shape. Work has begun on a $325 million effort that will provide state lawmakers with a new space that better suits their needs.
"We've been making the best of this time-worn building for 40 years," said Patrick Harris, secretary of the Alabama Senate. "The original plan was for this former State Highway Department building to be a temporary home to the legislature. The new facility will, by design, allow the citizens of Alabama better access to their elected officials and increase transparency in the state's legislative process."
Photo courtesy of Alabama Legislature
Lawmakers moved out of the Capitol in 1984. The redesignated structure was modified enough to be functional; however, in 2020, the Legislative Council, through the Department of Finance, commissioned a facility assessment. Overall, the building was found to be below average and was in the poorest condition of any structure in the capitol complex.
According to Harris, the 10-year facility renewal costs were estimated at nearly $51 million, and by 2023, that number had exceeded $70 million. These costs did not include any cosmetic or functional improvements. In addition, the assessment noted possible asbestos and biological concerns.
"Separate from the condition of the building, there are small committee rooms that do not accommodate large groups for public hearings and a number of access issues for persons with disabilities," said Harris.
The new building will be approximately 350,000 sq. ft. The design starts with House and Senate chambers facing each other on the same floor, as was the case in the Capitol. There will be a joint committee room with seating for more than 200 persons, and each body will have two committee rooms with a capacity well beyond 100. The building also will have a total of six committee rooms that allow for 75 members of the public to attend.
The galleries for each chamber will be larger and easier to access. The plans call for numerous conference rooms throughout the building, so members can meet with constituents more comfortably.
Once the new State House is completed, the Legislative Council will enter into a lease/purchase agreement with the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA). RSA is overseeing the design and construction of the new structure, which will be sold or leased to the Alabama Legislature.
Site work began in late 2023.
"The property was previously a parking lot, so there was no demolition to speak of," Harris said.
The first few months of work mostly involved excavation machinery and a giant drill that was used to dig and pour the more than 1,000 pilings needed for the foundation. The job site currently has two massive cranes in constant use, along with a variety of smaller machinery.
"The work is making great progress and is on schedule," said Harris, who added the contractor and architects are well-suited for this project.
"JESCO Inc. has a long history of working with RSA and has been involved in numerous undertakings of this scale and class. GMC is a great Alabama company with a strong history of public projects, and RAMSA has been involved in several projects around the country, working specifically with the needs of state legislatures."
Harris said there's a great deal of excitement surrounding the undertaking.
"The Alabama Legislative Council, which includes members of the state's Senate and House of Representatives, conducted a detailed process to outline the specific needs, desires and appearance of the new State House. The plans proceeded in conjunction with RSA."
Photo courtesy of Dionne Whetstone
The goal is to open the organizational session of the next quadrennium in the new Alabama State House in January 2027. Harris said coordinating construction has at times been difficult, but not impossible.
"The biggest challenge to date has been the loss of parking, but we have adjusted and made it through the 2024 regular session without any significant disruption. The only change to traffic was the closing of one block of Ripley Street, which will be a permanent change."
He added, "It's been exciting to see the blueprints over the last year or so, as new drafts transformed into finished designs. And to see the physical underpinnings rise from a blank slate has heightened our anticipation to see the finished project." CEG
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