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Capitol View®
Tim Pugmire

State House panel to discuss Senate building options

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Members of the Minnesota House Rules Committee will meet Friday to discuss the plans for a new Senate office building, as well as some alternative approaches to addressing legislative space needs.

The panel needs to sign off on the building design before construction can move ahead. The project was authorized in the 2013 tax bill, and Senate leaders have already approved the design. The total project cost of $93.5 million includes 44 offices and a separate parking ramp.

“We’re prepared to take up the issue, and I hope that we’re able to put it to bed,” said House Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul.

Murphy, who chairs the rules committee, now has some options to consider. A list she received today from the Department of Administration includes a new configuration for the building, moves into existing state facilities and leasing space. The new configuration would include offices for all 67 senators and delay the construction of the parking ramp. The cost would drop to $76.8 million.

“We believe and we’ve have always said that the building should house 67 offices for the 67 Senators, and it is important for us that there be a building built with 67 offices,” Murphy said.

Other options include: repurposing the Ford Building for some Senate offices ($70 million - $80 million), moving the Senate into the Transportation Building ($91 million - $113 million), repurposing the Administration Building for some Senate offices (34.25 million - $44.75 million, short-term leasing ($24.5 million - $32.5 million) and long-term leasing ($165 million - $220 million over 30 years).

Republicans continue to criticize the project. House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, said the new building is “lavish” and “unnecessary.”

“I’m shocked that Democrats continue to take care of themselves and frankly leave Minnesotans by the wayside in their decision making,” Daudt said.

More details on the options are here.