Majestic makeover for Maryland landmark

The state’s Board of Public Works recently approved a nearly $8.4 million construction contract to cover the renovation. The State House Trust endorsed the reconstruction plan.

“As the most important historic structure in Maryland, the State House requires special attention for its care and preservation,” Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley said. “This project will allow this 228-year-old building to undergo much needed infrastructure modernization.”

The capital construction contract for the renovation, valued at $8.37 million, went to Coakley Williams Construction Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md. Minority business participation on the project is 25 percent, with 7 percent subcontracting to African-American-certified firms and 18 percent to women-owned businesses.

The primary scope of the project is to remove, upgrade and retrofit the existing heating and cooling interior piping systems throughout the State House. The current HVAC system is decaying, and the renovation will prevent any future damage as well as bring the building into compliance with current code, according to state officials.

Additional renovations on the drawing board

Some additional renovations are on the drawing board for the State House, including the removal of the wall between the Calvert and Silver rooms. This will enable recreating the old House of Delegates chamber.

Also in the planning stages for the State House: conversion of the current visitor’s center to meeting space; inclusion of the current visitor’s center into the State Archives room; restoration of the old Senate chamber, including replastering and repainting; and new lavatories on the lower level. All of this additional work will require Board of Public Works approval.

“The Maryland Department of General Services [DGS] will work closely with the contractor to ensure that all work is completed by the end of the year,” said Assistant Secretary for Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Thomas Genetti. “Working jointly with the Maryland Historic Trust and Maryland State Archives, DGS will ensure that all of the artifacts in the State House are stored properly and that all of the work is carefully documented and executed. Great care will be given to protect and preserve the architectural features adjacent to the project work areas.”

The DGS began restoration and renovation of the State House in 1997, with window repairs, the replacement of the acorn on top of the dome, the fire alarm and sprinkler system and public-space repairs and refinishing.

Some offices will be moving

During the retrofit, current offices in the State House will be relocated. Although a final space determination has not been made yet, the governor’s office, lieutenant governor’s office, Senate president and speaker’s staff all will relocate to existing office space in Annapolis or Baltimore.

Accommodations also are being made to relocate the existing press corps offices in the basement of the State House.

Rich history

The State House, one of the most visited tourist attractions in Maryland, is a National Historic Landmark and the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use.

From November 1783 to August 1784, it was the capitol of the United States—the new country’s first peacetime capitol. It earned that designation following the signing of the 1783 Treaty of Paris. Gen. George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army at the Maryland State House.

Other public buildings are ready for updates

A good number of government-owned buildings in the United States are getting up there in years. Out of a sample of 635,000 government-owned buildings, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimated that 25,000 of them were constructed before 1920. 

Go to this table from the DOE’s latest “Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) Detailed Tables” report (table B-17) for more information. 

The DOE will start collecting data for its 2007 CBECS report later this month.