$60 million restoration project: Why it's worth it

'We need to make sure it doesn't completely deteriorate, and that's what this is all about.'

The $60 million restoration project of the United States Capitol dome remains on schedule and within budget. Luckily for Congress, the dome's cracked, rusted and crumbling ceiling will no longer serve as an accident waiting to happen.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - As the LA Times reported, the nearly $60 million U.S. Capitol restoration project left many to believe the geometric scaffolding has become "a beloved part of the capital's skyline."

Pieces of the scaffolding have been removed and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat on the Committee on House Administration - which oversees the restoration project - likens the previous look of the encased dome to a spaceship and commented, "Obviously, it's not as beautiful as the building itself. It's understated. But it's really a sense of confidence about the future."

 The dome was build over 150 years ago and is reported to weigh nearly 9 million pounds. Many of its metal bolts have fallen off and metal straps meant to reinforce the shape have cracked.

Alan M. Hantman, who worked as the Capitol's architect between 1997 and 2007, said, "Cast iron parts were basically holding each other in place.

Hantman was wont to carry a coffee can of rust to congressional hearing in an effort to display evidence of the crumbling ceiling above them.

To ensure the safety of everyone visiting and working at the Capitol, Hantman installed a wooden rail below the Statue of Freedom to help keep tourists and members of Congress from loosing pieces of the crumbling structure.

"We didn't want people leaning on the railing up there," he explained.

It was not until Stephen T. Ayers, Hantman's successor, stepped up as the Capitol's architect over ten years later, that the funds were accumulated and the restoration began.

The last renovation the Capitol's dome saw was over fifty years ago. Since then, the weather has accumulated rust, enlarged small holes in the cast iron and left behind over 1,000 cracks.

The scaffolding to be used in the restoration project began May last year, with "puffy cloth" installed beneath the ceiling for interior renovations and a hold in the center to allow visitors a view into the historic mural within the center of the rotunda.

Despite the magnitude of the project, visitors and members of Congress continue to tour and work within the building. 

Keeping in mind the Capitol building must remain secure, all workers are screened daily before they are allowed on-site. 

Restoration work has been allowed nights and weekends to maximize security and minimize disruptions.

The restoration project has served as an inconvenience for members of Congress, but Lofgren believes the renewal is well worth the effort.

"During the Civil War, Lincoln never gave up on it," Lofgren said. "We need to make sure it doesn't completely deteriorate, and that's what this is all about."

The project has progressed at a steady pace and Lofgren reports it remains on budget. The repairs were allotted $60 million, which includes $16 million for refurbishing the interior and $21 million for work on the rotunda.

"We'll see if that can be maintained," Lofgren stated. "It's a major project."

---

The California Network is the Next Wave in delivery of information and entertainment on pop culture, social trends, lifestyle, entertainment, news, politics and economics. We are hyper-focused on one audience, YOU, the connected generation. JOIN US AS WE REDEFINE AND REVOLUTIONIZE THE EVER-CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE.