National Archives — Renovation
Project Details
Owner: National Archives and Records Administration
Contract Amount: $93,270,676
Date of Award: May 2001
Substantial Completion: June 2005
Architect: Hartman-Cox Architects, Washington, DC
As part of a three-year effort by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to preserve our nation's history and instill in the public the importance of American archival records, Grunley Construction renovated and restored over 950,000 GSF of building space at the National Archives Building, a National Historic Landmark (see above photo).
While the building was occupied, Grunley:
- Upgraded all of the major building systems,
- Improved security and storage conditions for historical documents,
- Brought the facility into compliance with both "The Americans with Disabilities Act" and current fire and life safety codes,
- Improved access to the Rotunda and the building as a whole,
- Re-encased the U.S. Charters of Freedom—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights,
- Re-structured a significant portion of the building creating new museum and exhibit space, and
- Built a new 288-seat theater, retail museum gift shop, and cafeteria/snack bar.
Today, this prestigious building offers more of a public museum experience to the more than one million visitors who travel to the institution each year. It has also improved office space and facilities for the 100+ NARA staff that works there each day, and enhanced research facilities for the 80,000 researchers who visit the facility each year.
On September 17, 2003, Constitution Day, the newly-restored, re-encased Charters of Freedom were unveiled and the Rotunda was re-opened. At this special ceremony President George W. Bush, U.S. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, and top-ranking Senate and House members each gave the project rave reviews.
In the last three years, this project has won 11 national and local awards, including:
- 2005 AON Build America Merit Award, Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America
- 2005 Modernization Award, Buildings Magazine
- 2004 Renovation Project of the Year, Mid-Atlantic Construction
- 2004 Washington Contractor Award, AGC of America
- Seven craftsmanship awards from the Washington Building Congress