As crews push to finish the long-overdue Capitol Visitors Center proj-ect in Washington, D.C., Congress and industry are stepping up the search for candidates for the recently vacated post of Architect of the Capitol. The office oversees the center and other construction at the Capitol, Library of Congress and House and Senate offices. Alan Hantman retired Feb. 4 after his 10-year term as AOC ended. He did not seek reappointment.
In recent years, Hantman’s office came under fire from Congress for lengthy delays and cost escalation on the visitors center. When the project began in 2002, estimates suggested it could be completed in January 2005 for $265 million. The latest estimate projected that costs could top $600 million, with its opening date put off to early 2008.