It’s the season for field trips and summer outings. But tourists at the state Capitol are witnessing a little more than they had hoped for.
Visitors to the building capped with a gold dome are finding temporary walls, caution tape and other signs of a seven-year, $35 million safety upgrade.
And the Capitol dome, where visitors can get a bird’s-eye view of Denver, is closed because of security and construction concerns.
“It’s a little disappointing,” said Lesley Turner of England. “But it’s such a lovely building, and it’s in such good repair. It’s awesome.”
Construction crews will work through December extending an existing staircase from the attic to the building’s subbasement. Smoke detectors and sprinklers also are being installed, said Henry Sobanet, the governor’s budget director.
Now, the only stairway connecting the first and second floors is the grand marble staircase in the rotunda under the 272-foot dome.
The worry is that a fire could make the rotunda a firetrap, Sobanet said.
“The center of the Capitol will become like a chimney where all the smoke will be, and that’s where you have to go to get from the second floor to the first floor,” he said.
Visitors aren’t the only ones being inconvenienced. The offices of the state treasurer, lieutenant governor and some legislative staffers have been moved.
The work is being done in phases from May to December to avoid major construction during the legislative session, which occurs during the first part of every year.
The project was delayed for about a year because of the recent recession, Sobanet said. The bulk of the project is being funded by the State Historical Fund, which comes from gaming taxes.
Visitors can look forward to another three years of construction. But for many visitors, even the whirl of power tools echoing through the marble hallways can’t mar the building’s majesty.
“We are really impressed. People in Europe say that the States don’t have a history, but this shows you do,” said Pete Pollux of the Netherlands. “It’s very beautiful and rich.”
Staff writer Chris Frates can be reached at 303-820-1633 or cfrates@denverpost.com.
