Architect of the Capitol: Blue Ribbon Panel – Renewal of the Longworth and Rayburn House Office Buildings

AOC, Architect of the Capitol

At the request of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), the National Academy of Public Administration (the Academy) put together a Blue Ribbon Panel of subject-matter experts in the fields of engineering, architecture, and federal finance and real estate development to study options to renew the Rayburn House Office Building (RHOB) and the Longworth House Office Building (LHOB).

Based on research and data collection, the Panel concluded the following statements.

• Substantial reinvestment will be necessary to ensure that buildings will be able to continue to support the business of government into the future.
• The RHOB is in worse condition than the LHOB, despite having been built decades later.
• Space and system configuration constraints necessitate the construction of additional Member suite and Committee hearing room spaces. Without swing space, construction could stretch into a period of 26 years or more.

The Panel recommended that the AOC move forward with renewals of the RHOB and LHOB,
starting with the RHOB. Renewal should include the creation of swing space to enable relocation
of Members and Committees during construction.

Read the report to learn more about the Panels recommended renewal approach.

Study Fellows