New York State Capitol Eastern Approach Rehabilitation

The Office of General Services has embarked on a project to rehabilitate the New York State Capitol’s historic Eastern Approach, north and south promenades, executive drive, and east portico. The project will reopen the grand staircase to the public and ensure it will withstand inclement weather and be preserved for future generations.

Known as “The Eastern Approach,” the monumental grand staircase, which rises from East Capitol Park to the Capitol’s second floor, has been closed to the public for nearly a decade due to structural damage caused by water infiltration. The staircase began to show signs of instability and deterioration in the 1920s. In the 1950s, the structure was supported from the interior with concrete piers. Over the following decades, moisture saturation and movement caused by the freeze-thaw cycle continued to fuel deterioration.

The restoration project will integrate the reuse of existing materials and blend traditional and modern construction techniques throughout the rehabilitation process. 

The scope of work includes:

• Reconstruction of the stairs, balustrades, and retaining walls to protect against water damage and structural instability.
• Installation and replacement of weatherproofing and storm drainage systems.
• Cleaning, pointing, and repair of stone and granite elements.
• Removal and reconstruction of deteriorated landings and basement floor.
• Fitting of new windows, transoms, and doors that match the originals, as well as ladders to provide access between basement levels.
• Preservation of the historic lamp standards.

Upon the project’s completion in about four to five years, the stairs will be reopened to the public.

Bid Opening October 30, 2024

Bid Opening Results
 

The New York State Capitol, designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior, stands preeminent among other state capitols. Prominently rising on a hill, the imposing gray granite building was created in an eclectic French Renaissance Revival style. Constructed between 1867 and 1899, the building was the result of two design competitions, a series of different architects, and political, financial, and architectural compromises over three decades.

Appointed in 1883 by Governor Grover Cleveland to oversee the Capitol’s construction, Isaac G. Perry, the “Capitol Commissioner,” laid the foundation for the Eastern Approach, a monumental staircase planned as the building’s main entrance. As it stands today, the Eastern Approach features four successive flights of stairs that start from the center of East Capitol Park and end at the broad entrance of the portico on the building’s second floor. A promenade deck or terrace flanks the staircase, wrapping around the building to connect the north and south porticos.