Question of the day
Tuesday, Feb 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* $225 million and there will be less office space in the Statehouse and the asbestos-filled Stratton Office Building will remain untouched. But, hey, we get a new parking garage…
“Somebody [years ago] thought it would be a great idea to get additional square footage within (the) Capitol proper and essentially bisect a room, put an additional floor in there and we’ve completely destroyed the fabric (and) the historic context of those rooms,” [Capitol Architect Andrea Aggertt, who oversees the Capitol renovations] said. “While it reduces the square footage in that north wing, we’ll be removing those mezzanines.” […]
“It’s our response to get more and more green space on the Capitol complex,” Aggertt said. “If we can move parking underground, then someday when the Stratton Building comes down, then we will have entirely green space here. This is the first step.”
The age and condition of the Stratton Building have been subjects of debate over several decades and while there are no set plans to demolish the building, Aggertt said, there likely will come a time when the building is no longer needed.
“We have a good plan as to what’s going to happen on this complex in the next five all the way up to 50 years,” Aggertt said. “I can state that the Stratton Building’s not here for long, but it will be here until additional funding is given to build a replacement.”
Preserving history is important. But that additional workspace was added for good reason. It’s just not the same state government it was in the 1860s. And not having a replacement for the Stratton in the works is just so frustrating.
* The Question: Am I being too grumpy about this? Explain.
- fs - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:10 am:
It’s my understanding that this is just the first planned phase, and that there are plans for a new “Stratton” north of the Capitol, as well as new office space in a renovated Armory. Granted, it’s yet to be seen whether those plans actually start to move dirt (except for the Armory, which is having major renovation work done)
- vern - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:10 am:
No. It’s insulting to everyone’s intelligence to say “Stratton won’t be here for long, we have a 50 year plan that doesn’t currently have a demolition schedule.” The mezzanines aren’t causing damage, the same work they’re doing now could be done when they have a plan to expand square footage elsewhere.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:13 am:
No you are not being to grumpy about this. For the Love of Pete, since I started doing legislative work in the mid 80s, all I’ve heard is the Stratton is going to come down and be replaced with a building that should have been built the first time.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:16 am:
I don’t think you’re grumpy enough. I get the move to preserve the historical heritage of the Capitol, but it still needs to function as a working building. It’s totally ludicrous to remove the office space in the Capitol and then remove the adjacent office building for “green space.”
I’m not saying Stratton is a good building, but it is space. Replace Stratton and then remove the mezzanines. There is plenty of green space in the complex now.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:17 am:
i personally didn’t like what the addition of the mezzanine did to the capitol building. But that’s mostly a matter of taste. I fully understand the need for additional office space. And that’s what makes the mystery around the future of Stratton so frustrating. Taking current office space off-line without a comprehensive plan to replace it more permanently that sometime in the next 50 years is half a plan.
- H-W - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:18 am:
No, you are not being overly grumpy. A State Capitol Building is not just an office. It is also a monument to the people of the state, and to the state itself.
It should be grand, and functional. It should be a place people are proud to work, and visit, and see as they drive past.
I have traveled past many state capitol buildings, and some are just that - lower-case buildings that are indistinguishable on the inside and out. Ours is old, and needs upkeep. But is also needs additional space and additional grounds.
Perhaps one day soon, a Governor will request the money to do so in their FY budget.
- Gravitas - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:19 am:
“Somebody [years ago] thought it would be a great idea to get additional square footage within (the) Capitol proper and essentially bisect a room, put an additional floor in there and we’ve completely destroyed the fabric (and) the historic context of those rooms,” [Capitol Architect Andrea Aggertt, who oversees the Capitol renovations] said.
I totally agree. It is really strange to visit one of the offices in these new floors and see ornamental ceiling moldings in the middle of the walls.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:25 am:
===Perhaps one day soon, a Governor will request the money to do so===
Many of us thought there was enough money to take care of all this in the 2019 plan.
- Stuck in Celliniland - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:26 am:
== less office space in the Statehouse and the asbestos-filled Stratton Office Building==
And the City of Springfield loses a critical street connector, at least during the work and Session days. College Street between the above ground ramp and Monroe, if that section of the street is closed permanently due to the new underground garage, as someone on here speculated last year. But whether or not that part of College is going to permanently remain closed, the SJR needed to mention the street’s status in the story.
Also, you have the long-vacant lots south of Edwards and west of Court of Claims that could be developed (despite part of it being a long-gone gas station site with underground tanks).
What do the Conns have planned for their refurbishment of Vinegar Hill Mall? Maybe some state offices could go there instead of businesses.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:27 am:
Sadly, the answer is “yes” and does not look good on you. You just had a 3 day weekend and it Valentine’s Day. Get happy.
The restoration continues with goal of bringing the building back to a historic period. It is unlikely the mezzanines would meet life-safety codes. It remains unclear what will result from the work at the Armory which should have been demo’d decades ago.
- Walker - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:29 am:
When esthetics trumps functionality
- Howdy - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:33 am:
The Stratton Office Building should have been replaced a decade ago with a new building and some green space. The new building would be able to consolidate space in a Capitol Complex rather than all of the City of Springfield. So much for planning.
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:38 am:
No. Speaking of “grumpy” … will we be able to turn right on red from eastbound Monroe onto southbound 2nd?
- RNUG - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 12:10 pm:
No. The priority is (free indoor) parking and office space for the mucky mucks.
And if they aren’t going to tear the Stratton Building down for a couple more decades, they might a well do the decades old build-out plan. They can’t make the Stratton look much worse.
- thisjustinagain - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 12:35 pm:
CF item in 2035, “…and the Stratton Building still stands vacant, dilapidated, and unusable…but Illinois has a plan…- State official”.
Come to think of it, I wonder if the vacant State building in Midlothian is still there? Some 8-10 years ago IDHS was allegedly going to relocate another local aid office there, but they never did. The building isn’t in good shape, and the parking lot would have to be torn up and repaved. State tried to auction it off at least once; the auction company signs were up for a few years until they fell down and removed at some point. Not a good omen.
- Inverted Pyramid - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 12:47 pm:
New underground large group meeting space is part of north wing renovation. That’s a plus.
More (and well-thought-out) open green space on the campus is part of north wing renovation. That’s a big plus for a Capitol campus that needs some TLC.
Restoring the historic integrity of our beautiful Capitol while upgrading health/safety features. That’s a big plus.
Yes 2 1/2 goes away with all the history (and empty offices most of the year)associated with it. That is one of the reasons the Armory is being renovated: more Executive Branch office space. Yes, losing office space in the Capitol is not ideal, but ask all the House Members who are always holed up in Stratton (welcome aboard Senate!)
Stratton cones down under the master plan once new legislative & executive branch offices are built north of Monroe Street, and that terrible gravel lot can’t go away soon enough. I’m guessing that doesn’t happen until another capital bill comes to fruition. But it is in the plan.
- Sir Reel - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 12:54 pm:
Maybe a little grumpy. To me, State government is like a gas in a vacuum
It expands to fill available space.
Until the State figures out its in office vs remote work balance, I don’t know if it makes sense to build office space that’ll be used a few days a week.
- Not Enough Information - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 1:46 pm:
This article from the SJ-R left a few things to be desired. I believe the Senate Dems recently did a podcast on the subject that goes into things better than the article does.
- Dan Johnson - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 1:51 pm:
I did the Willis Tower ledge visit this weekend with my kids (highly recommend) and read they built the Seats Tower in three years.
That’s faster than the current plan for the Capitol renovation to be complete.
Made me a little grumpy too as I walked through a construction site to get to the Capitol. .
- Give Us Barabbas - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 1:56 pm:
Been looking forward to the Armory remodel for a long time. It makes sense to complete that first, and have someplace for the legislators and workers to move into, while the Capitol is worked on. I agree that mezzanine made zero sense, but it was part of the place for most of the currant occupant’s living memory.
I wonder if they’ll ever re-do that joke of a Blue Room in the basement; it’s a terrible media space - tiny, cramped, zero sound proofing, so hard to get good audio, due to the elevators and people talking on the other side of the non-insulated glass wall… Out of the way in the basement, the politicians don’t want to travel that far. Almost nobody likes to use it, preferring to stage events in the rotunda or elsewhere now. The old Blue Room was hot, but had, you know… room.
As to Stratton, I’ll be buried before that thing is. The Capital letter “I” shape of the Stratton was designed to maximize the number of corner offices for middle managers. In modern times, like most middle managers themselves, that may not be needed.
- Frank - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 3:46 pm:
Imagine how many cubicles you could fit in the head space in the chambers? A total waste. You could jam IDFPR above the House and Do It above the Senate.
- ugh - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 7:08 pm:
Did ADA compliance have anything to do with the mezzanine going away?
Isn’t there a Senate committee room that is just the top half of a very tall ceilinged room?
- Asbestos - Tuesday, Feb 14, 23 @ 11:48 pm:
Anyone using Stratton right now is breathing in asbestos. Unless the Capitol has asbestos I’m shocked they are renovating it before replacing Stratton. Poor staff members who work in Stratton all day.