What can be a fractured government divided by politics and ideology will soon be one divided by geography.
A full-scale renovation of Kentucky's Capitol building is forcing the operations of the Commonwealth to be scattered around the city of Frankfort. Progress is being made in relocating all of the offices in the building to their long-term temporary homes.
While the legislature is getting settled into their new home, others are in the packing and moving process.
Kentucky's Supreme Court has relocated to the home of the Kentucky Court of Appeals in Frankfort, but some minor renovations there must be made so that seven sitting justices can occupy the bench at the same time. That means that oral arguments scheduled for July and August will be heard in Lexington and on the campus of Centre College in Danville.
One last look
The Court heard the final arguments in their chamber two weeks ago. 1st Supreme Court District Justice Christopher Shea Nickell told me the Court had seen an increase in observers wanting to witness a case in that historic room before they had to move out. Nickell said it was a somewhat somber moment for the justices when they returned to their conference room after that final argument.
Nickell said that the justices took time to contemplate the path ahead while toasting those who had come before them through those hallowed halls. Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert and the six other justices returned to the empty courtroom for some comments from Lambert. Then Nickell led the group in the singing of "My Old Kentucky Home."
Justice Nickell was gracious enough to grant access to that historic conference room, private cloakroom, the Supreme Court chamber, and his chambers to a group of citizens from District 1, including my Father and me, during that busy court week. Our group consisted of a former Paducah Police detective, one of Justice Nickell's former law clerks, two law students, an attorney, his family, and several young people.
Justice Nickell noted that it has been tradition that new attorneys after passing the BAR exam are sworn in by the justices in that courtroom. With the lengthy renovations, it is unclear how soon that tradition could resume. If the work takes longer than anticipated, an entire generation of lawyers might not get that special recognition.
One young lady in our group, Maguire Yates - a middle school student and daughter of Ryan and Rachel Yates of Calloway County - entertained Chief Justice Lambert and her staff with a fiddle rendition of "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive." The song, a personal favorite of the Chief Justice who hails from neighboring Bell County, may have been the last music played in the Capitol rotunda until the renovations are complete.
The tour included a stop in the State Reception Room, which was originally the waiting area for the Governor's Office when it was on the second floor. Then, standing on the Governor's Balcony overlooking Capitol Avenue, one could spot the marker on the grave of Daniel Boone atop a nearby hill in the Frankfort Cemetary.
Nickell capped our visit with photos in the Supreme Court chamber. It was a tremendous experience for all involved and one we won't soon forget.
The building and what's to come
The Kentucky Capitol Building was constructed in about four years, between 1906 and 1910, at a cost of around $1.8 million - about a half million under budget. There has never been a comprehensive renovation of the building, but the current project looks to upgrade pipes, wiring, HVAC, and more throughout the structure.
The Legislature appropriated nearly $300 million for the project back in 2022 with a goal of having the work completed in 3 to 5 years. Similar work done on a capitol building of similar design in Kansas took 13 years to complete raising serious concerns about the estimates in Frankfort. Delays on work already underway on the Capitol Dome have fueled concerns, too.
House Majority Floor Leader Steven Rudy told West Kentucky Star that he understood Kansas officials had been told 3 to 5 years, as well. One contributing factor to the lengthy delays there was the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with that not a factor in Kentucky's project, it seems unlikely the project could be completed that quickly.
The two legislative chambers will meet in temporary buildings constructed adjacent to the Capitol Annex. However, other offices and government functions will be set up off the Capitol campus in scattered locations around Frankfort.
Kentucky State Senators spent time showing their temporary chambers this week as they discussed new laws going into effect following the most recent legislative session. The Senate and The House of Representatives were the first to move out of the Capitol immediately following the conclusion of the session.
The Governor's Office, the Lieutenant Governor's Office, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State's Office are among the Constitutional Officers that have yet to complete their moves. They are all on the first floor and are expected out of the Capitol by sometime in August.
The only questions are when and who will move back in and how much will it cost.
