JEFFERSON CITY — A massive renovation of Missouri’s century-old Capitol building inched forward Thursday, sidestepping a dispute over whether a nearby government building should be included in the project.
In a unanimous vote, the Missouri State Capitol Commission, which oversees the seat of state government and its surrounding grounds, approved the hiring of a construction manager to serve as the point person on the long-sought $755 million project.
The plan, once a manager is hired, will give the commission the ability to consider any alternative plans that might be presented as renovations move forward, said Commission Chairman Patrick Baker, who serves as the Senate administrator.
The vote came at the urging of Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, who said lawmakers have approved money for the project for two years running while work on the building has stalled.
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“I don’t want to kick the can down the road,†Kehoe said. “This allows us to keep moving forward.â€
Commission member Dana Miller, who serves as the chief House clerk, said the building is a “jewel†that needs to be preserved.
Another commission member, Sen. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, said, “We can’t just sit still. We have 100-year-old water and sewer pipes that are leaking on our employees. We have a responsibility to preserve this building.â€
The rehabilitation project has been on pause for more than two months amid longstanding questions about the Missouri Department of Transportation headquarters next to the Statehouse grounds.
Although the MoDOT building is not part of the Capitol renovation project, its proximity has put it in a spotlight as a possible space that could be used by lawmakers and staff while construction is underway across the street.
Office of Administration Commissioner Ken Zellers, a top aide to Gov. Mike Parson, confirmed talks are underway to purchase the 1920s-era building, which is owned by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.
“There have been no funds that have exchanged hands,†Zeller said.
Those talks raised red flags for commission member Cody Smith, who is chairman of the House Budget Committee. He said the administration is trying to use an estimated $50 million earmarked to repair and expand the Capitol to buy the MoDOT building.
“I would consider that a willful defiance of legislative intent,†Smith said. “I’m very concerned about that.â€
In addition, the commission has not determined if the MoDOT building is usable in connection with the renovation project, he said.
“I feel like we’re putting the cart before the horse here,†Smith said.
Although both voted in favor of hiring a construction manager, Razer shared Smith’s concerns.
“I feel like we’re having an elephant attached to the back of this project that no one was anticipating,†Razer said.
Plans for the century-old Capitol, which have been under discussion since 2016, include the removal of parking in the Capitol basement and the replacement of the current parking structure used by the Senate with additional spaces for both the executive branch and the general public.
The building would gain an estimated 100,000 square feet of space for lawmakers by extending the basement south toward High Street, which is Jefferson City’s main downtown street.
There also could be an underground visitor center on the north side of the Capitol that could be the entry point for the estimated 450,000 people who visit the building annually.
The plan also would do away with a 1970s-era change that placed some members of the House into cramped mezzanines on the first and second floors.
The gerrymandered office space, in addition to being noncompliant with federal accessibility laws, cuts off the natural light that was part of the original design, leaving many corridors gloomier than what was envisioned by the architects in the early 1900s.
The plan would move some of the executive branch operations, such as the governor’s budget office, out of the Capitol to nearby state office buildings.
The governor’s office on the second floor also would be extended to the first floor with an interior elevator, eliminating the need for office workers to walk into the public corridor to get to another office in the suite.
The lengthy project would not result in the closure of the Capitol during the construction period, according to a draft proposal of the overhaul.