ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – The Georgia General Assembly approved nearly $400 million for a new legislative office building and significant changes to the State Capitol.

The Georgia State Capitol was built in the 1890′s.

Matt Sawhill, a Georgia lobbyist with Sawhill Strategic Partners, has spent countless hours in this building. He said the project is needed.

“Simple things like going to the bathroom, getting ADA compliant, and making sure that you can physically move around this building has some real challenges too,” said Sawhill.

Georgia Building Authority Chief of Staff Gerald Pilgrim expects the projects will be completed by 2027.

“We’re proud that it’s 140 plus-year-old building, we get a lot of life out of our buildings, and we’re ready for it to go another 140 years after this renovation where we’re at in technology and all the things that change. We have to have a have to have it where it’s able to serve the public for what their needs are today,” said Pilgrim.

They plan to build a new legislative office building along MLK Jr. Drive near the Agriculture Building.

The proposed $392 million project includes an 8-story office building with a 500-car parking deck. A bridge would connect it to the State Capitol.

Plans include larger meeting rooms and offices, technology, carpet, a new security point, and fixing the outdated 50-year-old HVAC system.

They’ll be restoring parts that have been changed over the years, like the state’s library that used to be open to the public. Pilgrim said parts of the Capitol have lost some of their historical integrity.

“We’re able to take the stress off of this building on just having the large masses of people that are gathered in the hallway, we’re hoping that to move them, spread them out a little bit further throughout the building,” said Pilgrim.

This summer, they’ll start by replacing some of the gold on top of the dome. They’ll pause their work during the 2025 Legislative Session.

Copyright 2024 WANF. All rights reserved.