Office Space Disputes Threaten Capitol Renovation

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) Minnesota lawmakers are caught in a dust-up over office space at the State Capitol, and its threatening to delay the massive Capitol restoration now underway.

The three-year, $272 million project is on time and on budget. But the tenants in the new building including the governor, the Senate, the House and the attorney general cannot come to agreement over how much space they will control.

The Capitol Preservation Commission overseeing the Capitol work met Wednesday, but failed to reach agreement on who will get how many offices.

This is where we get hung up in, you know, Whos getting this percent more or whatever, Gov. Mark Dayton said. My view is the public space is whats most important, and the rest of us should fit in accordingly.

Daytons office will be larger in the newly-renovated building. Failing to agree is expensive, because if theres no signed agreement by next week, construction crews will slow down or stop their work.

Its estimated it will cost the state $680,000 a month.

Meanwhile, Republican leaders are reviving election campaign complaints about the Senate Office Building, now under construction behind the Capitol.

Theyre complaining that Democrats are holding out for double offices in the new building and in the Capitol.

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Office Space Disputes Threaten Capitol Renovation