Kentucky State Capitol to close for multi-year renovation

FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — Kentucky’s State Capitol building is well over a century old and is starting to show its age. The first full-scale renovation happening to the building in over 70 years is set to begin its next phase next month.

“For the most part, I think probably 80% of the building is unoccupied, and there is no furniture,” Sen. Robert Stivers told reporters during a tour of temporary legislative chambers.

For those who frequent Frankfort, there’s no doubt they’ve taken notice of many changes to the Capitol campus over the past year. While renovation work started on the Capitol dome in early 2022, now the entire interior is prepped, ready, and emptied for a nearly $300 million update.

“The renovation team will upgrade the building’s infrastructure add new safety features like automatic sprinklers, and safer emergency routes out of the building, make the building more accessible for those with disabilities,” project manager Donna Farmer said at Thursday’s Team Kentucky briefing.  

Farmer said the building will close to visitors at the end of August. The floral clock, memorials, and Capitol Avenue green spaces will still be accessible. She anticipates reopening in 2029, but every branch is prepared for that timeline to potentially be a little longer.

“You get in there and find out things you didn’t know, you couldn’t see,” Stivers said.

For the legislative branch, an entire temporary structure was put together over the past year for the House and Senate to conduct their business. Much of the furniture, like the lawmakers’ desks in each chamber, has already arrived in the new space.

“The governor’s office is going to be housed both in the old governor’s mansion and in the state office building that’s across the street,” Gov. Andy Beshear said, noting that temporary locations are also set for the judicial branch and the secretary of state’s office as well.

Beshear said the administration is also working to prepare a space on Capitol grounds for events typically held in the rotunda that will be available for groups to sign up for.