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Deal On Office Space Reached For Capitol Renovation

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A newly remodeled Minnesota Capitol will give the public more access to dining rooms, bathrooms, meeting space and even a classroom for orientations at the start of guided tours.

Officials announced a finalized floor plan Thursday after a dispute over lawmakers' office space was resolved.

"We're over this major hurdle and we're still on time and on budget," Gov. Mark Dayton said at a Capitol Preservation Commission hearing to approve remaining restoration work.

Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska, said it was "a thrill to see the amount of public space that has been incorporated in this plan. It is the people's Capitol and now the public will be able to see and use it."

The 109-year-old building is in the midst of a $273 million renovation inside and out. While restoring some historic touches, there are some modern additions: a mother's nursing room, added elevators and enhanced features for people with disabilities. In a nod to the building's original architect, the project includes a Cass Gilbert library with information about him and other key legislative reference materials.

The dining area will add 162 seats (up from 92). Three more restrooms will bring the building's total to 14.

A standoff over tenant office space had threatened to knock work off track and add costs, but a deal was reached by representatives for the House, Senate, governor, attorney general and judiciary. Failure to do so would have delayed the 2017 expected completion and tacked on added costs, construction managers had warned.

"We rolled up our sleeves pretty hard to come up with this," said Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook.

A point of contention was the number of lawmakers who would have had more than one office — one in the Capitol and one elsewhere.

The Senate will have up to four member offices in the Capitol, with the rest of the 67 members to be housed in a new building going up across the street. The current Capitol layout has 39 member offices. Bakk said any senator with a Capitol office won't have one in the new building.

The House was granted up to three offices, but House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, said in a written statement that he won't permit his chamber's leaders to hold down a Capitol office in addition to one in their existing building.

"The space allotted to the House will be used for public meeting rooms, conference rooms for members to meet with the public and for staff work space when the House is in session," he said. "The House will not have any member offices in the Capitol.

With the agreement in hand, the commission approved the final phase of construction. That includes remaining demolition, installation of plumbing and electrical systems and finishing work such as carpeting, tile and fresh paint.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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