Capitol renovation set to wrap up this winter
Friday, Sep 4, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The Chicago Tribune in 2022…
The elegant sights and sounds of the Capitol will soon be masked by dusty specks of brick and mortar and blaring power tool drills as the 19th century symbol of state government business undergoes a massive renovation this year to meet 21st century needs. […]
The renovation is focused on the building’s north wing and will include an underground parking garage and an underground conference center, and a two-level welcome center for visitors.
In addition, there will be updates of everything from heating and cooling systems to plumbing and ventilation. […]
Prep work for the project began last year and the underground parking garage should be completed by early 2023, according to Aggertt’s office.
The preliminary work includes asbestos abatement in parts of the building. In June, some legislative staff and other employees will be moving to other offices and won’t be able to return until January 2025, around the time the project is slated for completion.
* Capitol News Illinois this morning…
Nearly five years after construction crews started moving dirt on the $350 million renovation of the Illinois State Capitol’s north wing, there are finally glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel.
The massive project, which included a rehab of the Illinois Senate chamber, construction of a new underground parking garage and conference room and the creation of a new main entrance with enhanced security features, will wrap up “sometime this winter,” Architect of the Capitol Andrea Aggertt told Capitol News Illinois in an interview this week. […]
There’s been progress: The Senate returned to its refurbished digs on schedule in January 2025. And the $46 million, 435-space parking garage for legislators and staff opened this spring — more than two years later than anticipated. Under the updated timetable, the entire project will be complete about two years behind schedule. […]
Labor shortages attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and a scarcity of specific materials necessary to renovate a 150-year-old building contributed to the slowdown, Aggertt said. Not to mention the weather. Multiple heavy rain events this summer set the construction timeline back another several weeks. And then there were several unanticipated “surprises” that Aggertt and her team were confronted with as construction progressed.
Among them: The discovery of wrought iron trusses that were apparently hidden behind walls for more than a century. Their presence was not even unearthed during the last major renovation of the north wing in the 1970s. But the trusses, it turns out, play a critical role supporting the Capitol’s mansard roof. […]
Aggertt said there’s no funding allocated yet for future work, but she said the building’s east wing will need a refurbishment like the north wing within the next decade. They’ll soon need to replace the roof of the Capitol dome, which hasn’t had any major work done on it since the 1970s.
- Jack in Chatham - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 10:24 am:
$46 million divided by 435 parking spaces is $105,747.
- Norseman - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 10:29 am:
East Wing renovation would impact Gov’s Office. Please take in consideration paying tribute to the Governor James R. Thompson bar (the Gov’s bathroom). Many members imbibed drinks poured from that bar.
- We've never had one before - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 11:49 am:
No Ballroom?
- charles in charge - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 12:21 pm:
==the building’s east wing will need a refurbishment like the north wing within the next decade.==
Ugh. I was ready to celebrate til I got to that part. This incredibly disruptive renovation project has seemed endless.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 12:30 pm:
===This incredibly disruptive renovation project has seemed endless. ===
Because it has been. Inexcusably so.
- Will County - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 12:47 pm:
Any preliminary numbers on actual cost vs budget? Assume over but what 15%, 20%, 40%? On another note I am confused by the State buying property in Springfield ie. Wells Fargo and then continuing to rent spaces from lobbyist Chris Stone. Seems like the new Bill Cillini. Has agreements with the State prior to buying properties.
- Oklahoma - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 12:49 pm:
Maybe they relocate the East Wing to Sangamo club during those renovations…
- low level - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 12:52 pm:
Has anyone considered establishing a small museum to the once powerful and sensible Illinois Republican Party? It could feature governors like Thompson and Edgar and moderate members like Rosemary Mulligan and Carolyn Krause.
Those days are long, long gone. Some sort of memorial should be established.
- David - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 12:54 pm:
===== 435-space parking garage for legislators and staff opened this spring — more than two years later than anticipated.====
This is the story right here; someone should look at the safety concerns that forced this delay, and question if it’s now even safe to park there.
- fs - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 1:00 pm:
My favorite part of all of this work is that a tunnel was built to a dead end halfway under Monroe street to perhaps, maybe one day build a new Stratton building. But before they build that they plan to spend a lot of money to move the appellate court building half a block west instead of just build around it. Because I guess the architect’s rulers can’t comprehend such geometric wizardry. Or something.
- Sangamo Girl - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 1:29 pm:
==Because I guess the architect’s rulers can’t comprehend such geometric wizardry.==
Because that’s what the legislature wants. And they write the checks. The Architect of the Capitol is not an Executive Branch office. She is charged with keeping the legislature happy.
- Team Sleep - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 2:21 pm:
First - “slightly behind”? Um okay. Second - how is this within budget?
I worked at the Capitol and drive by it 2-3 times a week. I want it to look beautiful and want the Architect and the crew to ensure the integrity is kept, but this whole process has been a mess.
- Space Cowboy - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 2:57 pm:
I was just happy when College re-opened. I sort of get why it needed to be closed, but was a real pain getting around there.
- Amtrak Lincoln Service Resident - Friday, Sep 4, 26 @ 3:15 pm:
Disappointing that renovations did not consider additional parking for lobbyists, advocates, and visitors to the Capitol. One of the greatest challenges is finding a good place to park close to the Capitol building.
In addition, it is a shame the renovation did not consider “third spaces” where lobbyists and advocates can go to relax, catch up on work, and take a quiet break. The cafeteria is great but closes at 2pm, leaving people on their own to find a spot if they do not already have an office nearby. I love the progress with installing Elm City Coffee so that people can refuel (s/o to Alexi and the SOS office on this) but the work needs to continue to account for others who, while not employed by the state, still use the Capitol as an “office”.