Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
A crane hoists a modular section of a new office building Friday during installation on the Capitol Campus. The structures are next to the Joel Pritchard State Library and will serve as temporary offices and chambers for the House of Representatives while the Legislative Building undergoes a $91 million renovation.

Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
Jake Clark of Marysville attaches metal straps around a modular section of a new portable office building as it is installed at the State Capitol on Friday.

Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
Crane operator Rick Wolff of Olympia guides his crane to move a 39,500-pound modular building.

Capitol Campus goes modular

Temporary offices will house lawmakers during renovation

FARHANAZ KERMALLI, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Saturday, March 23, 2002

OLYMPIA -- Political maneuvering inside the Legislative Building has wound down, but changes on the Capitol Campus are just beginning.

Modular buildings are being installed next to the Joel Pritchard State Library to serve as the temporary offices and chambers of the House of Representatives while the Legislative Building undergoes a $91 million rehabilitation.

Capitol staff members are in the process of moving before the project begins in June. The big move will be completed in May.

Installation of the modular buildings is on schedule and hasn't been affected by rain or snow, said Dave Scott, Department of General Administration senior facilities planner.

One of the advantages of the modular structures -- which have been transported by truck from the assembly sites in Marysville and Aumsville, Ore. -- "is you can do as much as possible in a factory in controlled conditions," Scott said.

The first structure, at 5,600 square feet, was installed Tuesday and completed Friday. It has 14 individual offices and other work areas.

Installation of the second modular building begins Monday. The two-story, 16,000-square-foot structure will house the chambers and more offices.

"So far, I'm very pleased with them," Scott said. "They're really looking good."

Price is right

Scott said the $2.3 million price was reasonable and the structures, which are set up in pieces, are quick to install.

"We can remove them, take them somewhere else, sell them and get some residual value. There's a significant number of dollars (saved) there," Scott said.

Work on the 75-year-old Capitol is scheduled to be completed by November 2004, in time for the 2005 session, said Andy Stepelton, senior property manager with the Legislative Building rehabilitation project.

The project, which includes seismic updates, improvements to heating, electrical and water systems, and repairs on the stone exterior, was planned before the Nisqually Earthquake, a 6.8 magnitude temblor that shook South Sound on Feb. 28.

"If timing is anything, it was terrific timing," Stepelton said. "Nobody was hurt, and we learned a lot about the building."

The disaster helped reduce costs because the Federal Emergency Management Agency stepped in and a contractor was already on site to assess damage.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

back to State Workers index