According to the State House News Service today’s thunderstorms poured into the Great Hall at the State House today and created waterfalls running down the great marble stairs.
Then, car sized sections of I-93 fell out twice this week.
What do both of these events have in common? Deferred maintenance.
Deferred maintenance of our roads has led to structurally unsound bridges, and a leaking historic State House with water damage occurring yet again today.
Back in 2007 I warned about the need to repair the State House. This should be a number one item, and a basic matter of self respect for our Commonwealth.
The State House is the first place so many tourists visit – and the symbol of who we are as a state. It is always far easier to keep up a house, a car, or personal health then to try and repair a disaster like the one that occurred today.
So, once again, I say “repair the state house” and pass a Supplemental Budget if you need to – go ahead and propose one, Governor. Taking proper care of our Historic State House is a fitting use of government resources – and would create construction jobs too.
.
I worked on the glamourous Fifth Floor – peeling, sickly yellow paint, enormous water stains, falling plaster and rows of water cooler bottles stacked in the hallways. But during the Swift years, a repair program was started. I watched workers replacing the slate on the roof ouside my window (and I may or may not have a piece of that old, original slate). The walls were patched and painted. Wiring was fixed. Rooms were remodeled. And so on.
<
p>Who did those repairs? ESPECIALLY the roof repairs! Do we have a contractor who did shoddy work here? Can we recover?
I will acknowledge to having gotten lost numerous times traversing the catacombs, nooks, crannies and attic spaces of the State House. (I admit getting lost in a paper bag and it’s time for GPS!)
<
p>Maybe ‘something’ got replaced and repaired, but it certainly seemed there was evidence of water damage and repairs either ongoingm underway or ignored.
<
p>
Anyone who has wandered the Halls, dallied long enough to listen to tourists, knows that they’re visiting to see “history” !
<
p>Sit in Quincy Market and ask them why they’re visiting.
<
p>They bring their families to share a unigue foundation of the beginnings of a fledgling nation.
<
p>We sure have our priorities skewed.
<
p>Instead of promoting the silliness of slot machines, Deb, you got it right about the importance of the State House.
No question. As Philadelphia – and Independence Hall, and the Museums there.
<
p>As Gettysburg, which is the “engine” of Adams County and far more recession proof then the tanking Pennsylvania casinos.
<
p>The role of Boston and Massachusetts in the history of this nation is unique.
<
p>Construction jobs in honoring our history and heritage – and making our historical assets accessible and well-preserved – that is money in the bank for our children, grandchildren, and really a matter of duty and honor.
<
p>As to Peter saying there were “repairs” – even those doing them knew that those repairs in the Swift Admin were largely cosmetic, one step better than a tarp on a leaking roof.
<
p>We really can and must do better as stewards of our nations history.
<
p>Oh – and Springfield could market to the droves of Civil War enthusiasts, anchored by the well-known Springfield Rifle heritage sites, etc. Where are the Civil War days? Sorry, but Dr. Suess could just have some help in bringing folks to Springfield.
To be fair, for the past few months workers have been stripping off the roof of the statehouse and replacing it with what looks like a beautiful new copper roof. The work isn’t done yet. Is it possible the flooding happened because the rains occurred at an inopportune time during the roof reapair? In any case, it looks to me like the Commonwealth is spending a good amount of money on the new roof.
<
p>TedF
It would be great if a knowledgeable reader could update all of us as to the plan for making the State House the jewel it could be, and the summer revenue source/tourist attraction it could be (concerts on the great stairs as opposed to waterfalls?)