NYS Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy Announces Award of $72 Million Contract for the Rehabilitation of New York State Capitol's Historic Eastern Approach

NYS Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner Jeanette Moy today announced the award of a $72 million contract for the restoration and complete rehabilitation of the New York State Capitol’s Eastern Approach, the historic grand staircase leading to the Capitol from East Capitol Park. The project will also renovate the Capitol’s north and south promenades, executive drive, and east portico to address structural damage caused by water infiltration. The awarded contractor, Louis C. Allegrone, Inc., under the supervision of the New York State Office of General Services, will conduct the physical rehabilitation work.

New York State Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy said, “The NYS Office of General Services is proud to begin the long-awaited restoration of the New York State Capitol’s Eastern Approach. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, OGS is improving public infrastructure here in Albany and across the State, and we look forward to addressing the century-old deterioration of the eastern side of the Capitol, a National Historic Landmark. This complex and intricate capital construction project will reinforce its structure, enhance public safety, preserve its historic nature, and ensure it can support the eastern façade of the building. We look forward to welcoming New Yorkers back to this important civic space."

Closed to the public for nearly a decade, the iconic Eastern Approach has shown signs of instability and deterioration since the 1920s. Over the decades, the stairs’ condition has worsened due to water infiltration and movement caused by the freeze-thaw cycle. The Eastern Approach’s restoration will ensure that it is structurally sound and can withstand harsh weather so it can be opened to the public again. Existing materials will be reused throughout the restoration process, and a blend of traditional and modern construction techniques will be applied. Upon the project’s start, the East Capitol Park will be closed until the project’s completion in about four to five years.

Before its closure, the Eastern Approach was used as a venue for a multitude of events, gatherings, and speeches by community, state, and national leaders and organizations. Among some of the most notable figures who have used the stairs as a platform to address the public are former Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Richard Nixon, as well as presidential candidates, former Governor Al Smith and U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

The scope of restoration work includes critical structural repairs, reconstructing the stairs, balustrades, and retaining walls to protect against water damage and structural instability of the Capitol and the Eastern Approach; installation and replacement of weatherproofing and storm drainage systems; 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; and, preservation of the historic lamps.

For more information about this project, please visit ogs.ny.gov/eastern-approach.