Cannon House Office Building

Last updated
Cannon House Office Building
CannonHouseOffice.jpg
The Cannon House Office Building viewed from near Independence Avenue and New Jersey Avenue SE (2007)
Location map Washington, D.C. central.png
Red pog.svg
Location within Washington, D.C.
Former namesHouse Office Building
General information
StatusCompleted
Architectural style Beaux-Arts
Location United States Capitol Complex
Town or city Washington, D.C.
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 38°53′13″N77°00′25″W / 38.88694°N 77.00694°W / 38.88694; -77.00694
Completed1908
OpenedDecember 12, 1908
Technical details
MaterialMarble
Floor count5
Design and construction
Architecture firm Carrère and Hastings

The Cannon House Office Building, often called the "Old House Office Building", completed in 1908, is the oldest office building of the United States Congress in Washington, D.C. A significant example of the Beaux-Arts style of architecture, it occupies a site south of the United States Capitol bounded by Independence Avenue, First Street, New Jersey Avenue, and C Street S.E. In 1962 the building was named for former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Joseph Gurney Cannon. [1]

Contents

History

The first congressional office buildings were constructed immediately after the turn of the 20th century to relieve overcrowding in the interior of the then century-old United States Capitol. Previously, members who wanted office space had to rent quarters or borrow space in committee rooms. In March 1901, Congress authorized Architect of the Capitol Edward Clark (1822-1902, served 1865-1902), to draw plans for fireproof office buildings for both the House and Senate adjacent north and south to the Capitol grounds. By two years later, in March 1903, the acquisition of land for sites, razing of the private residences and businesses and construction of the buildings were authorized. In April 1904, the prominent New York City architectural firm of Carrère and Hastings was retained. Thomas Hastings (1860-1929), took charge of the southside House Office Building project, while John Carrère (1858-1911), oversaw the construction of an almost identical office building (now named the Russell Senate Office Building) for the United States Senate to the north. Their Beaux Arts / Classical Revival styles of architecture designs were restrained complementary to the original Capitol of 1792-1863. [1]

The Cannon Building was occupied during the session of the 60th U.S. Congress in December 1907. By less than a decade later in 1913, however, the House had already outgrown the available office space, and fifty-one rooms were added to the original structure by raising the roof and constructing a fifth floor (not visible in its exterior view). [note 1] that is visible only from the enclosed court and otherwise obscured on the building's exterior public face. Originally there were 397 offices and fourteen committee rooms in the Cannon Building; the subsequent second 1932 remodeling project resulted in 85 two- or three-room suites, 10 single rooms, and 23 committee rooms. [1] During the late 1960s, the House Beauty Shop, a salon which catered to Congresspersons, their spouses, and employees, was relocated to the Cannon House Office Building from the adjacent smaller and newer Longworth House Office Building of 1930-1933, under the auspices of the House of Representatives Beauty Shop Committee. [2]

2015 renovations

In January 2015, a top-to-bottom renovation of the Cannon House Office Building began. Completion is expected to take ten years and cost $752.7 million dollars. Initially, this renovation project will be focused on upgrading the building infrastructure and utilities, but will progress on to a wing-by-wing exterior and interior reconstruction. According to Bill Weidemeyer (Superintendent of the House), the building "is plagued by safety, health, environmental and operational issues that are rapidly worsening. Many of the building’s systems are original from the 1908 construction." [3]

Architecture

Architecturally, the elevations are divided into a rusticated base and a colonnade with an entablature and balustrade. The colonnades with thirty-four Doric columns that face the Capitol are echoed by pilasters on the sides of the building, and very inspired by the Louvre Colonnade in Paris. The Cannon Building is faced with marble and limestone; while the Senate's Russell Building's base and terrace are gray granite. [1]

Modern for its time, the building initially included such facilities as forced-air ventilation systems, steam heat, individual lavatories with hot and cold running water and ice water, telephones, and electricity. Both the Cannon Building and the Russell Building are connected to the Capitol by underground passages. [1]

Of special architectural interest is the rotunda. Eighteen Corinthian columns support an entablature and a coffered dome, whose glazed oculus floods the rotunda with natural light. Twin marble staircases lead from the rotunda to an imposing Caucus Room, which features Corinthian pilasters, a full entablature, and a richly detailed ceiling. [1]

Cannon Tunnel

The north-south Cannon Tunnel connects the Cannon House Office Building to the Capitol. The tunnel is lined with artwork from the annual Congressional Art Competition for high school students. [4] Branching off the entrance to the Cannon Tunnel is a separate tunnel southwest to the adjacent Longworth House Office Building, and entrances to a cafeteria, shoe shiner/cobbler, and a Legislative Resource Center. Unlike the tunnels from the Capitol to the Senate Office Buildings on the northside and the Rayburn Tunnel, the Cannon Tunnel because of its age, has no subway line, and is primarily a pedestrian pathway. In addition, a separate tunnel runs between the Cannon building and to the east of the neighboring James Madison Memorial Building, a part of the adjacent Library of Congress buildings complex. [5]

Notes

  1. ↑ Technically in Classical architecture, an attic.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Capitol</span> Meeting place of the United States Congress

The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government. It is located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Although no longer at the geographic center of the national capital, the U.S. Capitol forms the origin point for the street-numbering system of the district as well as its four quadrants. Like the principal buildings of the executive and judicial branches, the Capitol is built in a neoclassical style and has a white exterior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Capitol subway system</span> Subway system in Washington, D.C.

The subway system of the United States Capitol Complex in Washington, D.C., consists of three underground electric people mover systems that connect the United States Capitol to several congressional office buildings – all of the Senate buildings and one of the House buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas State Capitol</span> State capitol of the U.S. state of Texas

The Texas State Capitol is the capitol and seat of government of the U.S. state of Texas. Located in downtown Austin, Texas, the structure houses the offices and chambers of the Texas Legislature and of the Governor of Texas. Designed in 1881 by architect Elijah E. Myers, it was constructed from 1882 to 1888 under the direction of civil engineer Reuben Lindsay Walker. A $75 million underground extension was completed in 1993. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell Senate Office Building</span> Government building in Washington, D.C.

The Russell Senate Office Building is the oldest of the United States Senate office buildings. Designed in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, it was built from 1903 to 1908 and opened in 1909. It was named for former Senator Richard Russell Jr. from Georgia in 1972. It occupies a site north of the Capitol bounded by Constitution Avenue, First Street, Delaware Avenue, and C Street N.E.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architect of the Capitol</span> Person and federal agency that maintain the United States Capitol complex

The Architect of the Capitol is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex. It is an agency of the legislative branch of the federal government and is accountable to the United States Congress and the Supreme Court. Both the agency and the head of the agency are called "Architect of the Capitol". The head of the agency is appointed by a vote of a congressional commission for a ten-year term. Prior to 2024, the president of the United States appointed the Architect upon confirmation vote by the United States Senate, and was accountable to the president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wyoming State Capitol</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Wyoming

The Wyoming State Capitol is located in the city of Cheyenne. Cheyenne is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Wyoming, also hosting the workspace for the governor, and his staff; Mark Gordon. Built between 1886 and 1890, the capitol is located in Cheyenne and contains the chambers of the Wyoming State Legislature as well as the office of the Governor of Wyoming. It was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987. The Capitol underwent an extensive three-year renovation and reopened to the public on July 10, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirksen Senate Office Building</span> Government building in Washington, D.C.

The Dirksen Senate Office Building is the second office building constructed for members and staff of the United States Senate, northeast of the United States Capitol, in Washington, D.C., and was named for the late longtime Minority Leader Everett Dirksen from Illinois in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rayburn House Office Building</span> Government building in Washington, D.C.

The Rayburn House Office Building (RHOB) is a congressional office building for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., between South Capitol Street and First Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah State Capitol</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Utah

The Utah State Capitol is the house of government for the U.S. state of Utah. The building houses the chambers and offices of the Utah State Legislature, the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, the State Auditor and their staffs. The capitol is the main building of the Utah State Capitol Complex, which is located on Capitol Hill, overlooking downtown Salt Lake City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longworth House Office Building</span> Government building in Washington, D.C.

The Longworth House Office Building (LHOB) is one of five office buildings used by the United States House of Representatives. The building is located south of the Capitol, bounded by Independence Avenue, New Jersey Avenue, C Street S.E., and South Capitol Street, in southeast Washington. It has a floor area of 599,675 square feet (55,711.6 m2) and has a total of 251 congressional offices and suites, five large committee rooms, seven small committee rooms, and a large assembly room now used by the Ways and Means Committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Capitol Complex</span> Government buildings of the US

The United States Capitol Complex is a group of twenty buildings, grounds, and facilities in Washington, D.C., that are used by the United States Congress, and federal courts. The buildings and grounds within the complex are managed and supervised by the Architect of the Capitol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon State Capitol</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Oregon

The Oregon State Capitol is the building housing the state legislature and the offices of the governor, secretary of state, and treasurer of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in the state capital, Salem. Constructed from 1936 to 1938 and expanded in 1977, the current building is the third to house the Oregon state government in Salem. The first two capitols in Salem were destroyed by fire, one in 1855 and the other in 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Jefferson Building</span> Oldest building of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

The Thomas Jefferson Building, also known as the Main Library, is the oldest of the Library of Congress buildings in Washington, D.C. Built between 1890 and 1897, it was initially known as the Library of Congress Building. In 1980, the building was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), a Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third U.S. president. In 1815, the purchase of Jefferson's book collection formed a core foundation for the library's collection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississippi State Capitol</span> State capitol building of the U.S. state of Mississippi

The Mississippi State Capitol or the “New Capitol,” has been the seat of the state’s government since it succeeded the old Mississippi State House in 1903. Located in the centrally-located state capital / capital city of Jackson, in Hinds County, it was designated as a Mississippi Landmark in 1986, abd subsequently a National Historic Landmark in 2016 and earlier added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969,.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congressional office buildings</span> Office building used by the US Congress

The congressional office buildings are the office buildings used by the United States Congress to augment the limited space in the United States Capitol. The congressional office buildings are part of the Capitol Complex, and are thus under the authority of the Architect of the Capitol and protected by the United States Capitol Police. The office buildings house the individual offices of each U.S. Representative and Senator as well as committee hearing rooms, staff rooms, multiple cafeterias, and areas for support, committee, and maintenance staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Capitol Visitor Center</span> Underground visitor center in Washington D.C.

The United States Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) is a large underground addition to the United States Capitol complex which serves as a gathering point for up to 4,000 tourists and an expansion space for the U.S. Congress. It is located below the landscaped tree-shaded grounds of the East Front of the Capitol and its plaza, topped by a thick plastic / glass skylight on the surface, between the Capitol building and 1st Street East, towards the east. The complex contains 580,000 square feet (54,000 m2) of space below ground on three levels. The overall project's budget was $621 million dollars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Capitol dome</span> Dome situated above the rotunda of the United States Capitol

The United States Capitol features a dome situated above its rotunda. The dome is 288 feet (88 m) in height and 96 feet (29 m) in diameter. Designed by Thomas U. Walter, the fourth Architect of the Capitol, it was constructed between 1855 and 1866 at a cost of $1,047,291. The Statue of Freedom tops the lantern on the dome, and the dome is centered over the origin on street maps of Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hubert H. Humphrey Building</span> Federal office building in Washington, D.C.

The Hubert H. Humphrey Building is a low-rise Brutalist office building located in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Originally known as the South Portal Building, the Hubert H. Humphrey Building was dedicated on November 1, 1977. It became the headquarters of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW). After the department's education component was given to the newly created United States Department of Education in 1979, the newly named United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) continued to occupy the structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O'Neill House Office Building</span> Government building in Washington, D.C.

The O'Neill House Office Building is an office building in Washington, D.C., that houses offices of both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is named after former United States Representative (congressman) from Massachusetts and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr. (1912-1994), and located at 200 C Street Southwest in the Southwest Federal Center district, at the foot of Capitol Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congressional office lottery</span> U.S. House of Representatives custom

The office lottery for the United States House of Representatives determines the order in which incoming representatives can choose rooms in the congressional office buildings. The lottery takes place every two years following elections to that chamber and does not take place for the United States Senate. The draw is generally merry, with members dancing and bringing favorite possessions for luck.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from Cannon House Office Building. Architect of the Capitol.

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Cannon House Office Building". Architect of the Capitol . Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Wash, Rinse, and Equal Treatment". United States House of Representatives Archives. 2016-10-24. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
  3. ↑ Klimas, Jacqueline (January 18, 2015). "Cannon House Office Building begins $752M renovation". The Washington Times. Washington, DC. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  4. ↑ Yager, Jordy (February 9, 2010). "An A-mazing Guide". The Hill. Washington, DC. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Young, Michelle (July 25, 2014). "The Underground City Beneath the U.S. Capitol and Library of Congress". Untapped Cities. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.