Experts anticipate new General Assembly building to open on schedule

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) —  Officials overseeing the General Assembly Building demolition say they’re on schedule, nearly one year since the building closed for the major project.

The General Assembly Building (GAB) is being torn down to make room for a new one, all while protecting its historic facade from 1912.

The streets around Capitol Square are filled with orange cones and construction vehicles, going in and out of the city. All of the work is causing people to stop and look up.

“They’re bringing this building down piece by piece, right in the middle of downtown,” said Sarah Gaines, of Chesterfield County. “Every time we pass by I go ‘Look, I can see what’s behind the building, finally.’”

For months, crews worked to get asbestos out of the building, which was one of the original reasons it had to be taken down. A big step forward in the project is happening in a few days.

“About sometime later this week, the last of the old General Assembly Building will be down so all of the rubble will be in the basement. We’re on time,” said Paul Nardo, the Virginia House of Delegates Clerk.

More planning comes after that. The design of the new, 15-story building still has to be finalized as well as the budget. Currently, the funding for demolition is coming from $300 million allocated to Capitol Square improvements. This money is also being used for a parking deck across the street and the restoration of the old city hall building.

Some aspects of the design plan to include a second entrance from Broad Street as well as adding new technology into the building. The historic facade will also be incorporated. Nardo says they want the new and improved GAB to last another 100 years.

“We want a safe, efficient, easy building to navigate through for [Virginians] to be engaged,” he added.

Some people, like Sarah Gaines, are happy to see touches of history staying downtown while the rest of the city grows. 

“If you completely knock it down and put a new building up, it’s like you completely forget what was there before,” said Gaines.

If everything stays on track, officials hope to have the project completed in 2021.

To watch a time-lapse video of the construction, click here.

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