DES MOINES – The State Historical Building in Des Moines will get needed renovations starting in 2017.

The building, which is both the state museum and houses the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, has had “issues since Day One,” Mary Cownie, cultural affairs director, said.

“We have a failing building envelope with no vapor barrier, so it’s very difficult to control the temperature and humidity levels,” Cownie said. “There are exposed pipes above the exhibits and in collection areas. We have unsealed concrete sealings that leak and they need to be replaced in their entirety. We have constant leaks throughout the building because of a faulty drainage system. Exterior granite that is failing. And a heating and cooling system that needs to be replaced in its entirety.”

Renovation is the more cost-effective option, Cownie said.

“When we began this process, I think that’s what we all thought, is that this is a very challenging building, and why would we renovate and not just build new,” she said. “But it’s actually roughly $118 million to build new, at the proposed square footage that would be right-sizing to.”

The building will be right-sized, Cownie said, from its current 234,000 to 155,000 square feet.

“The reality of it is, we’re in an oversize building. If we built from scratch, we would never build a structure that is 234,000 square feet,” she said. “It just simply is not manageable and not sustainable.”

The reduced square footage does not mean a decrease in functions, Cownie said.

“If anything we’re going to gain a lot more control in terms of finding staff efficiencies, making the experience more user-friendly, having adjacencies that are easier for staff along with the visitor being able to provide better access to the collection,” she said.

The renovations, Cownie said, will allow for visible storage throughout the building and being able to rotate exhibits more, as well as allowing for more outreach, traveling exhibits and educational opportunities.

The total project will cost $79.6 million, with $65 million provided by the Legislature over five years.

“We would raise $14.6 million, but that’s similar to the efforts that they were able to find 28 years ago,” Cownie said. “But also, what cultural institutions across the state and across the country undergo to get community support.”

Planning and moving will begin in 2017, with construction beginning in early 2018.

Cownie said the effort is an exciting one.

“From an Iowa history standpoint, that’s the heart and soul of this project, that there’s a real opportunity to not only be able to better preserve the collection, but provide greater access,” she said. “The history of our state is important and our building should be a symbol for that.”