Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Projects topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
New Legislative Office Building: officials describe design, $324 million appropriation and Nov. 2026 opening target
Summary
Georgia Building Authority representatives outlined the nine‑story Legislative Office Building (additional floor added with $15 million), described committee-room capacities, a bridge to the Capitol, security upgrades and a $324 million appropriation for the project; total Capitol Hill work was cited at about $560 million.
Gerald Pilgrim of the Georgia Building Authority briefed the General Government Appropriations Committee on the new Legislative Office Building (LOB) project and related Capitol Hill renovations.
Pilgrim said the project was expanded from eight floors to nine after a late appropriation of an additional $15 million and that the building is designed to serve the legislature for decades. "We have the building that's gonna be a 9 story building," Pilgrim said, and he described a bridge more than 20 feet wide that will connect the LOB to the Capitol and a parking deck behind the building. He said the intent is to improve public flow and access during session.
Pilgrim described multiple committee rooms sized for different uses: a joint Appropriations room configured with design cues to help users immediately identify house/senate rooms by carpet color, a joint committee room that can seat every member of both chambers for briefing-style sessions, and additional rooms for 75–150 people. Digital infrastructure and press areas are built into the design.
On budget, Pilgrim said "We have $324,000,000 appropriate for this project," covering the parking deck, bridge, furniture and technology; he said project spending is holding within that budget and that the LOB is scheduled to open in November 2026 for use in the 2027 legislative session. Pilgrim also cited an $83,000,000 appropriation to renovate house and senate chambers and a separate $49,000,000 project to redo the agriculture building, putting the total Capitol Hill program at about $560,000,000.
Pilgrim discussed restoration plans for the old library area and said demolition and a glass walkway will precede artisan restoration work. He noted the project will include HVAC system replacements in the chambers to improve air quality and replace equipment last upgraded in the 1950s.
On security and public access, Pilgrim said screening processes will be more centralized, cameras increased and some ballistic glazing installed where appropriate; a parking deck connected to the building will free up nearer-to-Capitol public parking. He said the improvements were informed by security reviews following civil unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Committee members asked about public access to restored spaces, possible agency relocations into the CLOB in future administrations, and details such as the 135,000 feet of cabling installed in the House chamber. Pilgrim said, so far, budgets are tracking and projects are progressing.
Next steps: the building will continue through construction milestones with tours and fact sheets offered to committee members; the committee did not take any formal votes during the presentation.
