YCQM: December 7, 2014

>> Announcer: FROM VERMONT'S MOST TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE, WCAX BRINGS YOU YOUR NEWSMAKERS, YOUR NEIGHBORS. THIS IS "YOU CAN QUOTE ME."

>>> AND GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I'M DARREN PERRON. TROPICAL STORM IRENE DEVASTATED THE STATE MORE THAN THREE YEARS AGO, AND DESTROYED THE STATE OFFICE COMPLEX IN WATERBURY. WE'LL TALK ABOUT REBUILDING THE COMPLEX, THE STATE'S LARGEST-EVER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, AND GET AN UPDATE ON HOW WATERBURY IS REBOUNDING WITH OUR GUESTS THIS MORNING, MIKE STEVENS WITH VERMONT BUILDINGS AND GENERAL SERVICES, AND BILL SHEPELUK, THE WATERBURY MUNICIPAL MANAGER, BUT FIRST, THIS BACKGROUND REPORT FROM ALEXEI RUBENSTEIN.

>> FROM MAIN STREET WATERBURY, IT'S HARD TO SEE THE BUZZ OF ACTIVITY BEHIND THE SCENES. BUT LOOK PAST THE CHAIN-LINK FENCE, BEHIND THE FAMILIAR BRICK FACE OF THE OLD HOSPITAL, WHERE A MODERN STEEL STRUCTURE IS TAKING SHAPE, THE FUTURE HOME OF THE STATE'S AGENCY OF HUMAN SERVICES. FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, HUNDREDS OF WORKERS HAVE DEMOLISHED BUILDINGS AND BULLDOZED THE LAND TO TRANSFORM THIS 43-ACRE SITE.

>> IT'S THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION BUILDING PROJECT THE STAY OF VERMONT HAS EVER DONE.

>> MIKE STEVENS, THE STATE'S POINT PERSON ON THE $125 MILLION PROJECT, ALONG WITH ARCHITECT JESSIE BECK, ARE OUR TOUR GUIDES. FROM WHAT WILL SOON BE A GIANT HORSESHOE PARKING LOT AT THE REAR, WORKERS AND VISITORS WILL ENTER THE NEW COMPLEX THROUGH ONE MAIN ENTRANCE.

>> THE MAIN ATRIUM WHERE BOTH OF THE OFFICE BUILDINGS COME TOGETHER, PEOPLE CAN MEET, HAVE COFFEE, THERE'S GOING TO BE FOOD SERVICE, A CONFERENCING CENTER ON THE SECOND LEVEL, SO WE'VE GOT VERMONT ARTISTS THAT ARE WORKING ON DISPLAYS, ALL THE MATERIALS IN THE STATION WILL BE VERMONT-MADE MATERIALS.

>> IT GIVES IT A FEELING OF --

>> STARTING WITH A SPRAWLING COMPLEX OF MORE THAN A DOZEN BUILDINGS, BECK SAYS GETTING BACK TO BASICS WAS THE MAIN IDEA.

>> WE APPROACH IT WITH THE THOUGHT OF THE AGENCY AGREEMENT SERVICES, THERE ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE AND THE NEW OFFICE BUILDING IS SHAPED LIKE HELPING HANDS COMING TOGETHER WITH THE ATRIUM IN BETWEEN TO MAKE SENSE OUT OF THE ARCHITECTURE.

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YCQM: December 7, 2014