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Committee opens study into legislative office building; OMB details Capitol Grounds projects
Summary
Legislative staff opened a study of a legislative office building while OMB outlined present Capitol Grounds projects, master‑plan timing, and a $5.7 million space‑optimization effort to reconfigure existing space.
Legislative staff told the Government Finance Committee they will study the feasibility of a legislative office building and how the Capital Building Fund and the Capitol Grounds master plan might be used to support such a project.
"This is a legislative office building study," Adam (Budget Section staff) told members and pointed them to Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 40‑24, which establishes the study framework. He outlined items the committee could examine: the Capital Grounds master plan, construction costs, agency space needs, and the potential savings or efficiencies from consolidating agency space onto the Capitol Grounds.
Brandon Solberg, Facilities Management Division director at OMB, briefed the panel on current projects on the Capitol Grounds and a recent planning history. Solberg listed near‑term work including foundation and roof repairs at the Liberty Memorial Building, the State Lab under construction (projected completion March–April 2026 with a subsequent six‑month move‑in period), the military gallery expansion and Heritage Center connection (projected open in early 2028), ongoing boiler replacement, and a window‑replacement program.
Solberg said the 2020 master plan recommended limited new state facilities because of telework patterns then, but recent changes (demo of the State Office Building, new State Lab construction and shifts in workplace policy) suggest an updated master plan could be appropriate. The Capitol Grounds Planning Commission will consider a master‑plan update in October.
OMB also described a space‑optimization effort funded with $5.7 million for moving and reconfiguration costs and noted the office is interviewing roughly 47 agencies in the Bismarck‑Mandan area to identify available and potentially reusable space. Accessibility, restroom upgrades and visitor wayfinding were flagged as outstanding items that will require additional scope and funding.
Why it matters: a legislative office wing would affect agency space planning, rent revenues on the Capitol Grounds and the capital fund balance; the committee’s study will examine tradeoffs and funding options.
What’s next: Budget Section staff proposed receiving data from OMB on capital fund status, space needs, construction costs, and public comment; the committee may consider requests to the Capitol Grounds Planning Commission and follow up presentations on museum/military gallery funding and construction.
