HARTFORD — The two-year $50 million exterior cleaning and restoration of the historic state Capitol building will take a back seat to next year’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The advisory State Capitol Preservation and Restoration Commission voted recently to delay the project until Sept. 1, 2026. That means the historic 1878 Gothic structure in Hartford will not be sheathed in scaffolding at a time when it will be a major backdrop for a variety of commemorative activities, particularly July 4, 2026, when the nation will celebrate semiquincentennial events. During the Capitol Preservation and Restoration Committee meeting on Tuesday, Osten asked the 12-member group for a consensus to allow the Capitol project to start in September. Brian Pencz, facilities administrator for the Office of Legislative Management, said the price shouldn’t be too different and delaying the construction until the fall is manageable. The building checklist includes a million dollars to brush on new gold leaf 3/1000th of an inch thick around the massive 250-foot-tall dome designed by architect Richard Mitchell Upjohn.
$50M rehab of CT’s state Capitol will be delayed until after nation’s 250th celebrations
