Work begins in main Jefferson City Post Office building

Demolition and renovation work has begun on the second and third floors of Jefferson City's main post office on High Street, including the former courtroom of the U.S. District Court. Much of the woodwork and trim, including the eagle and arch overlooking the judge's dais will be preserved.
Demolition and renovation work has begun on the second and third floors of Jefferson City's main post office on High Street, including the former courtroom of the U.S. District Court. Much of the woodwork and trim, including the eagle and arch overlooking the judge's dais will be preserved.

Demolition and renovation work began this week on the two floors above Jefferson City's Main Post Office, 131 W. High St.

State government signed a 20-year lease in 2013 to use the space vacated when the federal courts moved to the Christopher Bond Courthouse. But no decisions have been made about what offices or agencies will move to the 17,176 square feet of space - even as the renovation work begins.

"The space will be used for state offices to the best of its capacity," Ryan Burns, Office of Administration spokeswoman, said Wednesday. "It will be considered, along with the MoDOT building, as part of the bigger discussion on how to transition employees currently located in the Capitol.

For years, state lawmakers have talked about ways to juggle existing space in the Capitol to accommodate the various needs of the Legislature, its staff, the statewide elected office holders, visitors and some news organizations.

Part of the problem since the 1970s has been the mezzanine offices on the Capitol's first floor - 23 state representatives have offices in spaces directly above 17 other state representatives' offices, in four large rooms on the Capitol's west side.

The Office of Administration and staff for Legislative Research also have about 20 mezzanine offices on the east end of the first floor.

Those mezzanine spaces can be reached only by stairs and don't comply with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act.

That has led to thinking the Transportation Department should move from its headquarters building just east of the Capitol, allowing the Legislature could move some offices into that facility. Some offices also could use the space above the Post Office.

"As we approach fundamental changes of how space is used at the Capitol Complex, this (Post Office) location will dovetail nicely into the overall conversation," Burns said.

GBH Builders, Jefferson City, won the $820,000 contract for the work that began this week, and got the notice to proceed last Thursday.

The contract has a May 11 completion date, Burns said, and includes demolishing portions of the second and third floors and revising the overall electrical system "to make the space conducive for state offices."

Although not included on the state or national registers of historic buildings, Burns said it is "considered a historic building" within Jefferson City's Historic District, and the demolition/renovation plans include saving some of the historic features.

She said those steps include:

• Preserving the main federal courtroom on the third floor.

• Dismantling the jury box and judge's dais from that courtroom, and storing them.

• Preserving the wainscoting, wood trim and eagle from that courtroom, and the wood molding on the exterior walls of the space.

• Cleaning and polishing the woodwork in the lobby areas.

• Cleaning and polishing the terrazzo floors.

As part of the construction, Burns said interior walls will be removed and/or re-configured to meet the intended use as office space.

The 20-year lease for the Post Office's second and third floors is divided into five-year pieces with a 10 percent increase from one level to the next.

The annual rent is $103,056 for the first five years, then $113,361.60 for the second five years.

The third five-year period will cost $124,697.76 each year and the final five years will be $137,167.54.

That's a total of $2,391,414.50 over the 20 years, or an average annual cost of $119,570.73.

"The Post Office building is a highly-regarded historical building here in Jefferson City, and the Office of Administration intends to treat it that way by conducting our renovations in a conscientious manner to preserve the integrity of the space," Burns said.

"The state has a long-term lease for the building with the first option to purchase the building if it comes on the market - and we think the inclusion of this space is a good addition to state space within the Capitol Complex."