Legislative Council seeks new life for old space
In the empty space that once housed hundreds of thousands of books, periodicals and legal documents, Michael Braun sees an opportunity to finally bring Arizona’s hodgepodge Capitol complex on par with other states’ grand buildings.
Braun, executive director of Legislative Council, is spearheading efforts to renovate the old state library on the third floor of the 1938 annex to the state Capitol building. He’s expected to meet next week with architects to discuss what it would take to transform the former library into usable space, potentially including a reception area for visiting dignitaries and neutral meeting ground for legislative and executive leaders.
That kind of space is common in other states, which house multiple branches of government in marble monoliths. But in Arizona, dignitaries who visit the House of Representatives can only be taken to the floor or a basement conference room with mismatched chairs, Braun said. And when legislative leaders want to meet with the governor, they usually have to go to his office.
Representatives from the National Conference of State Legislatures and other organizations frequently comment on the Arizona Capitol’s austerity, Braun said.
Read more: https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2019/06/07/legislative-council-seeks-new-life-for-old-space/