New permits issued for Senate office building project

Construction of the new Senate office building in St. Paul is moving along pretty much as planned, even as project critics pounce on it as an unwise use of taxpayer money and seek to make it an issue in the fall elections.

The city of St. Paul late last week issued two building permits for the four-story structure, which will house 67 senators and their staff members.

The permits issued to Golden Valley-based Mortenson Construction have a combined value of $9 million, including $3.5 million for site prep, shoring and utilities, and $5.5 million for footings and foundations.

Mortenson is teaming with St. Paul-based BWBR Architects on the project, which is being constructed on a former surface parking lot just north of the Capitol. The site is framed by University Avenue, Park Street, Sherburne Avenue and Capitol Boulevard.

Last month, the Minnesota Management & Budget Office announced the completion of an $85.38 million bond sale to support predesign, design and construction of the building.

The new building will provide swing space for senators while the State Capitol is undergoing a $272 million restoration. Longer term, it will house senate offices and larger rooms for legislative hearings.

Project backers say the building is necessary because of overcrowding in the Capitol; critics say its a waste of money and that other projects should take priority.

Those criticisms have made their way into political ads. GOP gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson, who is challenging DFL Gov. Mark Dayton this fall, has raised it as an issue in the governors race.

Funding for the project was also controversial; the project was funded as a late insert in the 2013 omnibus tax bill, which rubbed some people the wrong way.

Jim Knoblach, a former Republican state legislator, sued late last year to stop the project, saying the approval process violated the states constitution. The legal challenge ended in June when the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Knoblach would need to post an $11 million bond to continue the lawsuit.

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New permits issued for Senate office building project