Historic Renovations Underway In RI House, Senate Chambers

The Rhode Island General Assembly may not be in session, but the House and Senate chambers are far from silent. Starting this week, a massive restoration project is underway in both chambers to bring them back to their former glory.

The Rhode Island State house was built from 1895 to 1904. The massive, white Georgia marble building boasts the fourth largest self-supporting dome in the world. In the more than century since it was finished, the chambers for the House of Representatives and Senate have suffered wear and tear and are both in need of refurbishment.

The $2.5 million project is set to be finished by the beginning of the next legislative session in January 2020. The State House Restoration Society, Joint Committee on Legislative Services, Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance and the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission all came together to ensure the restoration is as historically accurate as possible.

"The State House is one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Rhode Island, and it was created to be a lasting monument to the achievements of our state. We are very proud to be honoring that concept with this careful, thoughtful renovation, which will bring it back to its original splendor, while incorporating the safety, technology and accessibility features that modern public buildings demand," said House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, the chairman of the JCLS. "We are very much looking forward to our return next year to chambers that better serve the public and our members and more closely resemble the magnificence of their original designs."

The restoration will includes top-to-bottom improvements both aesthetically and behind the scenes. Some of the most visible changes include replacing the chambers' carpets, last replaced in 2002, and drapes, which have hung since 1988, as well as refurbished lawmakers' desks and new chairs. Public galleries, skylights and rostrumswill also get a facelift, while the chambers themselves will be repainted in colors closely matching their original, Victorian shades.

"The Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission has been working with JCLS, DCAMM and their teams as well as the State House Historical Society, to identify original color schemes for the House and Senate Chambers," said Virginia Hesse, RIHPHC's principal historical architect. "The project scope has included a Finishes Analysis study, research into original design documents, and early photographs to ensure the completed restoration will reflect the architects’ original design intent."

Currently, the House of Representatives chambers are painted a marigold yellow, a color that Sally Strachan, the chairwoman of the State House Restoration Society, said is not original. Instead, the walls were closer to cream-colored, which she says will complement the chamber's historic tapestries, which will be carefully protected during construction.

"Some of the original colors are a bit surprising, and very, very beautiful," Strachan said. "As close as possible, returning the chambers to those original colors will make all the elements of the room look the way they were intended, and will preserve our State House’s rich history."

Much of the building's electrical system is original to the building and has been repaired as needed in the more than century since. All original wiring will be replaced during the renovation, allowing for the installation of a system to help the hearing impaired, as well as an updated sound system.

The project is intended to restore the chambers as closely as possible to their original appearance at the beginning of the last century, while improving handicapped accessibility and technology, and complying with modern electrical, building and fire codes.

"This project represents long-overdue updates and preservation that will make the chambers more functional while also vastly improving their beauty and historical accuracy," Said Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, the vice chair of the JCLS. "This is one of the most exciting and rewarding renovation projects we’ve embarked upon at the State House. When it was built, our State House was considered a masterpiece that served as the inspiration for many other states’ capitols. It’s our duty and also a pleasure to maintain its beauty and preserve its historical integrity so that every generation will be able to experience the same sense of awe and majesty that Rhode Islanders have enjoyed in our State House since 1904."

The massive restoration effort will primarily be funded by the JCLS, which will cover $1.5 million. The remaining $1 million will be paid by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance.