Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – While the Capitol building and the area around it are a giant construction zone, the Capitol architect has her eye on something far down the road.

A new “Legislative Office Building” would replace the much-maligned, unloved example of Cold War-era architecture, the Stratton Office Building. “Right now we’re just hiring consultants to assist us in the future. We have funds for design, not for construction,” said Andrea Aggertt, director of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol. “In the meantime, we can get started on some of that design work.”

The Stratton building’s history has included asbestos problems and is unlikely to inspire a preservation campaign. Aggertt sees a “Capitol Square” replacing it, featuring greenspace and statues. The Stratton building is west of the Capitol, while the new building could be built north of the Capitol.

The construction in the Capitol building has prevented the Senate chamber from being a room from which people can exit safely, so the Senate has been convening in the Howlett Building since the fall of 2022. Aggertt says the Senate chamber will be ready for occupancy in time for the Senate inauguration in January 2025.