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Restoration

Today Capitol Hill appears much more like Richard Kletting, the Capitol's original architect, had envisioned it than it did at the Capitol’s initial dedication in 1916. Practical challenges, including financial limitations, prevented Kletting’s designs from being fully realized in the twentieth century. But now, a century later, these ideas have become the basis for the Capitol’s modern restoration. In response to studies concluding that the Capitol was vulnerable to a moderate size earthquake, the Utah State Legislature created the Capitol Preservation Board to oversee the seismic upgrade, restoration and preservation of the Capitol. Shortly thereafter, the Board hired David Harris Hart, AIA - a successful Utah architect, as the architect of the Capitol and executive director to the Board. Together they began a Master Plan to strengthen the Capitol against seismic dangers and to restore the building to Kletting’s original plan. On January 4, 2008, the renovation was complete and the Capitol was rededicated. It now stands as the symbol of state democracy.