Contrasting views from two state senators on the Statehouse renovation, seven years into what was supposed to be a $120 million job but is now estimated to cost $280 million and take until 2011:
“To come out of all of that†— the bloody border struggles that preceded statehood in 1861 — “and turn around and build a building like this? It’s a phenomenal testimony to the people of Kansas. We have an obligation to maintain the structure, really because of what it stands for.†— Sen. Pat Apple, R-Louisburg
“We’ve gone way overboard. It’s representative of today’s society. We splurge on toys and can’t pay for necessities.†— Sen. Chris Steineger, D-Kansas City
4 Comments
I think the structure should be maintained, and yeah, that can get really very expensive.
I’d like to know who put out he initial estimate so low in the first place.
As any homeowner knows, sometimes you expect one thing, but get into a job and it will cost double. But this does seem rather …overboard.
Who’s idea was it to do such a massive remodel and continue having people in the building?
It would have been cheaper and quicker if the building had been closed and the remodel done all at once. It could have been done between two and three years.
This is wasting taxpayers money. You can blame the legislators that have been on the building committee who has made these decisions.
Sotheysaid,
And where would the Legislature have met? Where would they have had their offices, their committee rooms, etc? How would citizens have had access?
Our Statehouse is the people’s building. It’s amazingly open. It’s easier for a Kansan to talk to their state Representatives and Senators than it is to get into Wichita City Hall, or the County building. I have a harder time getting appointments with members of the Wichita City Council than I have getting meetings with Senate and House leadership.
It’s also a very OLD building. Layers of paint, layers of old renovations piled on top of older renovations, have been expensive and difficult to remove.
One of the costs has been the creation of a basement, which is being dug out of the old limestone foundations a wheelbarrow at a time. This is creating an entire new floor of office space, which in turn is relieving the overcrowding in the upper floors. For years, officeholders have been tucked into places no bigger than broom closets and converted airshafts (no joke!).
This renovation will preserve the history and integrity of the building, expand the space available, and keep our Capitol what it needs to be: A public space for all Kansans.
One of things that I notice about cost estimations whenever a project is planned.
It is either their analyses are way off base or it is harder to sell if they include a future pricing of labor, material and time.
Whatever the case, we only notice it when things go bonkers.
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hello…
nice…
Eric…
I love the info and have bookmarked your blog. Haver you thought of doing a vlog describing this stuff?…
broom…
respect for your notice!!!?…
annette bening…
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