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Capitol Commission hears updates on restoration, glass-floor timeline pushed to August 2026
Summary
Executive Director Rob Blackshaw updated the Capitol Commission on ceiling, stair, roof-drain and glass-floor work across the Capitol Building, reporting near-term scaffolding removal on the 4th Floor, a revised glass-floor completion of August 2026, and planned inspections of House and Senate chamber ceilings ahead of a 2027 project.
Executive Director Rob Blackshaw told the Capitol Commission the multi-year restoration and maintenance program for the Capitol Building is progressing, but several projects will extend into next year and beyond.
"The 4th Floor East Wing is nearly complete and we'll actually start seeing scaffolding removed in the next couple weeks," Blackshaw said, noting the East and North wings and the 3rd Floor office S304 are all approaching completion. "S304 should complete this week as far as the painting goes." He said scaffolding removal will begin in those areas and that crews will then finish the 4th Floor West Wing.
Blackshaw discussed technical details that have shaped timing. On plaster and paint he warned of moisture concerns: "If we don't allow it below 12%, the paint won't adhere, and we'll start seeing problems that we have seen in the past." He said all but one area are at or below that moisture threshold as of the last report.
The commission heard a detailed update on the glass floor that is part of the Rotunda Restoration Project. Blackshaw described a recent visit to the manufacturer in Providence, Rhode Island, and the fabrication process, including water-jet cutting with a tolerance "less than a sixteenth of an inch." He said the glass-floor schedule slipped after equipment breakdowns and that the program now targets an August 2026 completion instead of the late-spring finish originally planned.
Other building repairs and upgrades in the update included: a planned full replacement of the upper east exterior stairs in 2026 (requiring about three to four weeks of work and temporary relocation of rallies to the bottom of the stairs), replacement of large acoustical panels in the meeting room during the November legislative break, and the repair of at least three of four west-side roof drains (one repair will require brief access to an adjacent office after coordination with occupant Doug Simon). Blackshaw framed the roof-drain work as preventative: once finished the drains "will run the excessive water from the roof ... away from the building for the first time in over 40 years."
Blackshaw also said architects will begin a thorough investigation of the ornate ceilings in the House and Senate chambers in December and January, then develop a scope and schedule for restoration work that staff currently forecast for 2027. He emphasized the inspections and any scaffolding will be planned to minimize interference with legislative sessions.
The commission did not take a formal vote tied to any of the projects during the update. The meeting closed after a motion to adjourn was moved by Commissioner Bauer, supported by Dan, and carried without objection.
The commission may revisit schedules and funding needs as project surveys and contractor reports are completed and brought back to the body.
