The outside of the Missouri capitol building is undergoing a complete makeover. Repairmen are currently fixing the cracked and weathered stones on the outside of the capitol. The construction starts from at the ground level and goes all the way up to the dome. Currently, it is all wrapped in a white covering that hides the beauty that the Missouri Capitol is known for.
Working in Phases
Construction on the capitol began on March 2, 2018, with a budget of $40 million. It’s estimated that the renovation will take a little over two years to complete. The bronze statue of Ceres was removed from the top of the building for the first time in almost 100 years. The statue, which weighs over 1,000 pounds will be cleaned before being put back on the capitol building.
The construction on the capitol building deals with more than just the Ceres statue. Repairmen have worked at replacing fencing and scaffolds around the capitol as well as fixing water leakage inside the building.
A Brief History
In 1913 craftsmen started building Missouri’s current capitol. The Capitol was completely finished by 1917. Over the past 100 years, the building has suffered excessive deterioration. The workers are trying hard to finish the Capitol by 2020 at the latest. The Missouri Capitol building is 437 feet long and 300 feet wide at the center. It was designed after the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Everything used in building the capitol is from Missouri except 12 marble pillars which are located in the House.
Road Closed
Throughout the construction process, the south lawn will be closed due to the construction. The south and west public entrances will still be open to the public. The school bus drop off area has been moved to the west side of the Capitol building. The Capitol entrances are always staffed by security for safeguarding.
