Office of the
      State Architect

State Capitol Life Safety Project

The State Capitol Life Safety Project is a project which will make the Capitol a safer place for the tenants who work in the building and the visitors who come to see this treasured architectural landmark. The plan takes a thorough look at the areas in which the building falls short of current safety requirements and proposes ways to significantly reduce or eliminate those problems.

Project Timelines and Status

January 2003-State Historical Fund grant awarded for phase 1A of 6 total phases. This work focused on the main vertical distribution systems at all four quadrants of the building and completion of the subbasement and attic life safety systems: fire sprinklers, fire alarm and smoke detection. Additional work included the emergency power connections to the relocated emergency generator. This work was completed in December 2003.

July 2003-State Historical Fund grant awarded for phase 1B. This work focused on the Third floor, House Chambers, Senate Chambers and old Supreme Court Chambers life safety systems (fire sprinkler, fire alarm, smoke detection and emergency power). Additional work included remodeling the attic level display gallery to extend it to the future exit stairs. This work is scheduled to complete in December, 2004. The majority of the scaffolding is in place for the phase 1B work (third floor and chambers). The life safety systems being extended from the attic through the third floor ceilings are in progress and the display gallery is receiving architectural finishes.

May 2004-The Colorado Historical Society will award the phase 2 State Historical Fund grant in July, 2004. This work will include the life safety systems and egress stair continuations for the northwest quadrant of the building from the basement level through the second floor. Completion is scheduled for December 2005.

March 2005- The design and construction begin on this phase in July, 2005. The work included the stair continuation and the life safety systems in the northeast quadrant of the building. Completion was December, 2006.

March 2006- Submit grant application for phase 4. If the grant is awarded, the design and construction will begin on this phase in July 2006. This work will include the stair extension and the life safety systems in the southeast quadrant. In addition to this standard work to be performed in each quadrant this particular phase will include a historic structure assessment for the Colorado Historic Society. The construction for this phase is scheduled to be complete in December, 2007.

The History of the Colorado State Capitol Building