2016 Directory

34 WYOMING ARCHITECTURE .16 | www.aia-wyoming.org Wyoming Capitol Square Project BY SUZANNE NORTON , AIA T he State of Wyoming is conducting the first comprehensive restoration of the Capitol in its 125-year-plus history. TheWyoming Capitol Square Project continues to move forward on budget and on schedule. In addition to the rehabilitation and restoration of the Capitol, the project includes the remodel and expansion of the Herschler Building; renovation and expansion of the Capitol Extension connecting the buildings; and relocation, replacement, and expansion of the central utility plant. Primary Needs for the Project The rehabilitation and restoration of the Capitol will involve comprehensive and invasive repair due to the significant amount of deferredmaintenance and deterioration that has occurred over time. Additionally, the Capitol suffers from life safety shortcomings, including inadequate smoke and fire detection systems, and non-existent smoke and fire suppression systems. These problems are compounded by obstacles that make efficient evacuation of the building difficult. The building was not originally designed with accessibility inmind, thus the restoration needs to address the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems have outlived their useful life and prior to the renovation were in the process of failing. As designed, the Capitol was not large enough to adequately address all public and legislative space needs. One of the principal drivers of this project is to provide the opportunity for increased public participation in the legislative process. The Capitol space will be reorganized to provide more public access on the first floor and throughout the second and third floors. Additionally, the below-grade tunnel connecting the Capitol and the Herschler Building (Capitol Extension) will be expanded to create meeting rooms and other public services. Installation of new restrooms, new elevators, new smoke evacuation systems, new fire exits, newmechanical chases and creation of new larger public meeting rooms all contribute to a significant reduction in office space in the Capitol. Due to its proximity to the Capitol, the Herschler Building is needed for the relocation of staff and functions displaced from the Capitol. Significant repairs are needed to extend the life of the Herschler building. The exterior of the building needs to be replaced, which provides a cost-effective opportunity to expand the building to the south with a finish that is complementary to the Capitol. The atrium on the north side of the building will be removed, restoring views fromNorth Capitol Avenue to the Capitol, increasing building efficiency and reducing heating and cooling costs. The systems of the central utility plant have also exceeded their useful life and need to be replaced to support the Capitol, Herschler Building, and the Capitol Complex. The cooling tower and transformers will be removed from the Capi- tol grounds and placed on the fourth floor of the Herschler Building. Budget, Schedule and Progress One of the key directives from the Capitol Rehabilitation and Restoration Oversight Group (Oversight Group), which has been authorized by the Legis- lature to oversee all the project’s components, has been to keep the project on budget while meeting the project design guidelines and imperatives. Throughout the building, suspended tile ceilings covered historic details and signifi- cantly lowered ceiling heights. Recent demolition has revealed historic decorative elements like the molding (capital) around the top of this column. Historic ceiling heights will be restored as part of the project. The rehabilitation and restoration of the Capitol will involve comprehensive and invasive repair due to the significant amount of deferred maintenance and deterioration that has occurred over time. This invasive work creates an opportunity to restore the Wyoming’s most significant building. A design sketch of the Herschler Building looking south. The removal of the atrium will increase building efficiency and will reduce heating and cooling costs, as well as restoring views fromNorth Capitol Avenue to the Capitol.