Legislative Council approves resuming Legislative Hall east-side addition and parking garage amid debate over cost and timing
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Summary
After a presentation on contractor selection, schedule and costs, the council approved resuming work on a new parking garage and east-side addition to Legislative Hall. The motion passed 8–1–1; cost estimates cited were roughly $122 million total with $23 million for the garage and roughly $100 million for the addition.
The Delaware Legislative Council voted to resume work on a proposed east-side addition to Legislative Hall and an adjacent parking garage after receiving an update from the Legislative Building Committee and staff.
Rich Puffer and Ryan Dumfey reported the parking garage contract was awarded to Costello Construction of Columbia, Maryland, and said mobilization could begin in March with partial closures of the back portion of the parking lot. Puffer gave an approximate budget range and schedule: a parking garage cost of about $23,000,000 and a broader project estimate near $100,000,000 for the addition, for a total project estimate presented as roughly $122,000,000.
Puffer described staging impacts, secure member parking (about 93 gated spots) and roughly 247 public spots, and noted permitting conversations are ongoing with DNREC, DelDOT and the City of Dover. He said the garage needs to be open before major addition work begins and that construction timing should avoid concurrent session activity.
Representative Spiegelman expressed concern about proceeding on a roughly $100 million project while some school districts seek construction funds. “I’m not sure it’s this proposal,” Spiegelman said, noting competing capital priorities in local districts and that he would find it difficult to vote yes solely on cost grounds.
Senator Townsend responded that public safety, access and staff workspace needs justify moving forward, calling the project overdue. The building committee and staff also described a funding plan that would seek a minimum of $35 million in the FY 2027 bond bill and a $65 million request in FY 2028.
A motion to approve the building committee’s plan as presented was made and seconded. Roll call recorded 8 yes, 1 no, 1 absent; the motion passed and the council authorized staff to proceed with the schedule and funding conversations described by facilities management.
Next steps include continued permitting, confirmation of the funding requests for the upcoming bond cycles, additional coordination on parking mitigation during construction and return reporting to the council on design and schedule milestones.