Corrections & Institutions Committee hears briefing on 2023 flood damage to Montpelier Capitol Complex

Members of the Corrections & Institutions Committee on Jan. 30 heard a detailed briefing from Joe Ajah, director of design and construction for Buildings and General Services, on damage from the July 2023 flood that affected the Montpelier Capitol Complex and surrounding state-owned properties.

Ajah said the July 2023 event "was a 25 hour event of flooding in Downtown Montpelier" and "impacted, over 19 buildings," including 18 inside the Capitol Complex and one state-owned office building on Green Mountain Drive. He told the committee five buildings remain unoccupied — four on the complex and the one on Green Mountain Drive — while others have been reopened temporarily under an extended 90-day permit.

Why it matters: the briefing outlined which buildings suffered basement- and first-floor flooding, which mechanical and electrical systems were damaged, and why the state must document losses for FEMA before permanent repairs proceed. Ajah warned that extensive rehabilitation could trigger code upgrades if a building is deemed "substantially damaged" — typically replacement costs exceeding 50% of assessed value — which would change the…