The plan to remodel an old Juneau building into a residence for state lawmakers and staff is on track and within budget officials told a committee on legislative reform on Monday.
“It’ll be ready for move-in by the 10th of January at most, and there will be a handful of things on the list to be checked off following that. The Capitol is scheduled to be ready for moving in five days prior to the start of session,” said Jessica Geary director of the non-partisan Legislative Affairs Agency, which oversees the Capitol complex in Juneau.
The Assembly Building was built in 1932, and situated just across the street away from the Capitol complex, was gifted to the Legislature by the Juneau Community Foundation last year.
The House-Senate Legislative council has voted to spend nearly $9 million to convert the building into 33 apartment units.
The question is who will receive the apartments. The lawmakers haven’t yet come up with the rules for this but they’ve not yet decided whether or not the apartments will be accessible to the public even when the Legislature isn’t in session.
Senator. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau is the chairman of the subcommittee to decide the answers. He has indicated that he’s likely to suggest against opening the building open to public.
Although Juneau is suffering from a major house shortage Kiehl declared it was “one of the biggest benefits of this building for this Legislature will be the housing for special sessions.”
In previous session of the summer, legislators and staff were competing with Juneau’s tourist season for hotel rooms. And space was not easy to locate.
Assembly Building Assembly Building was acquired through the Juneau Community Foundation’s Juneau Capitol Fund, which is intended to fund the Capitol until it is in Juneau and funders are keen to see special sessions held in Juneau.
Kiehl claimed that keeping the building closed for the general public “would restrict the amount of competition from companies in the private market” in addition.
Some lawmakers have voiced their own views. In the Monday’s session, some lawmakers expressed doubts regarding the ability of the Legislature to make a profit from investments in the property.
“I’m but not sure that this is a good way to spend money of the public,” said Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake in the meeting on Monday.
McCabe was one of five legislators from the Republican lawmakers from the House majority caucus of Southcentral Alaska, who attempted to block the contract to furnish with furniture for the structure.
The vote was approved 8-5, which allowed LAA to buy furniture. Another vote, which authorized $74,750 for blinds and window shades that passed with 12-1. The only vote against was that of Speaker of the House Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla.
Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham was a supporter of both bills despite voicing opposition to the Assembly Building idea in the past.
“It’s an issue that is difficult in a number of ways. Anyone who was members of the council prior to me realize that I was not an enthusiastic supporter of the building at first,” he said, “but I think we’ve got both feet in the water today.”
The story first appeared in Alaska Beacon and is republished here with permission.
