Herschler East to open to the public next week

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Workers put the finishing touches on Herschler East, which opens to the public on Monday, April 30. The main entrance is on the east side of the building.

Workers put the finishing touches on Herschler East, which opens to the public on Monday, April 30. The main entrance is on the east side of the building.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Over the weekend, state agencies will begin moving into the remodeled and expanded Herschler East in downtown Cheyenne. The Wyoming Department of Education and Wyoming Department of Revenue will be open to the public in their new locations on Monday, April 30.   

The Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments, Wyoming State Engineer’s Office, Wyoming Environmental Quality Council, and the State Board of Equalization will continue to move to Herschler East in the following two weeks. The Wyoming Department of Audit will move to the Hathaway Building.

The Wyoming Capitol Square Project has reached a significant project milestone with the opening of Herschler East. The addition of new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, new elevators, and more restrooms reduced office space in the Capitol. The Herschler Building was included in the project due to its proximity to the Capitol and is being renovated and expanded to accommodate these displaced space needs.

Demolition of the atrium removed the link between the two wings of the Herschler Building, opening up the historic north view of the Capitol. Because of this change, the Herschler Building appears to be two separate buildings, Herschler East and Herschler West, though they will be linked together underground by the Capitol Extension. 

IMPROVEMENTS

  • Exterior Design:  The replacement of the exterior of the Herschler Building addresses major maintenance issues, which included water infiltration, corrosion, wall gaps, and rotting window blocks. The new exterior design makes the Herschler Building more complimentary to the Capitol, as well as allowing more daylight into the building interior.
  • Expansion: Replacing the deteriorating exterior provided an opportunity to enlarge the footprint of Herschler East 15 feet over existing slab foundations that used to hold planting beds, which leaked into the underground garage and needed to be removed.
  • Infrastructure: In addition to new lighting and more modern finishes, all the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems have been replaced. Equipment failures in the past have resulted in difficulties keeping the building heated and cooled.
  • Improved Wayfinding: Herschler East has been remodeled to have clear designations among agencies. The main entrance on the east side leads directly to the elevator and stairs. The building's previous open floorplan lacked security and made it difficult to find agencies.
To accommodate ADA parking, a temporary lot has been constructed on the north side of Herschler East on West 26th Street.

To accommodate ADA parking, a temporary lot has been constructed on the north side of Herschler East on West 26th Street.

AGENCY MOVES/ PARKING

To reduce costs, shorten the construction process and reduce disruption to the public and state government activities, the Herschler West was occupied while Herschler East was renovated first. Herschler East closed in mid-2016. Demolition on the Herschler West will begin this summer once agencies have moved out.

For Herschler East, state employees can use the State Parking Structure located at 25th Street and Carey Avenue or the State parking lot at 25th Street and Pioneer Avenue. Visitors can park on the third level of the structure or at the parking lot. To accommodate ADA parking, a temporary lot has been constructed on the north side of Herschler East on West 26th Street.

The following offices are moving to their permanent locations:

  • The Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction/ Wyoming Department of Education will move from the Hathway Building to the second floor of Herschler East April 27-28.
  • The Wyoming Department of Revenue will move from Herschler West to the third floor of Herschler East April 27-28.
  • The Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments will move from the Herschler West to the first floor of Herschler East May 7-10.
  • The Wyoming State Auditor's Office is moving from 2020 Carey Avenue to the fourth floor of Herschler East during late summer 2018.

The following offices are moving to temporary locations until the completion of the project in 2019:

  • The Wyoming State Engineer’s Office is temporarily moving from Herschler West to Herschler East May 1-3.  Board of Control and Surface Water Division are moving to the third floor. Support Services, Interstate Streams Division, Ground Water Division, and Administrative Services are moving to the first floor. The State Engineer’s Office will move back to Herschler West when the remodel is complete in 2019.
  • Both the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council and the State Board of Equalization are temporarily moving from Herschler West to the fourth floor of Herschler East on April 30.The agencies will move to the first floor of the Hathaway Building later this year.
  • The Wyoming Department of Audit is temporarily moving from Herschler West to the Hathaway Building to the basement and second floor of the Hathaway Building May 4-5. Later this year, the agency will move from the basement into the first floor of the Hathaway.
  • The Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office and the Wyoming State Treasurer’s Office will remain at their temporary locations at 2020 Carey Ave., but will move into Herschler East when the project is complete in 2019.

For more information about the project, visit www.wyomingcapitolsquare.com. 

About the project

The first comprehensive renovation in the Capitol's 130-year history is focused on preserving this national landmark for future generations, increasing public access to the activities of government, and addressing critical infrastructure failures. The project also includes the replacement, relocation, and expansion of the central utility plant; expansion of the below grade Capitol Extension to the Herschler Building; and rehabilitation and expansion of the Herschler Building.  The project is scheduled to be complete in mid-2019 with some components being finished earlier in 2018.  Visit www.wyomingcapitolsquare.com.

Media Contact: Rachel Girt
307-286-1592 | rachel@girtcommunications.com
High resolution photos are available upon request.