Senate temporary office will be in downtown St. Paul
The 39 DFL senators in the majority and their staff will move their offices to the UBS Tower in downtown St. Paul on May 26 as a result of the Capitol renovation.
The Republican minority will stay in their offices in the State Office Building adjacent to the State Capitol.
The Department of Administration signed a $307,599 contract with 444 Cedar Tower Owner LLC. The Senate will rent the space for eight months until the new Senate Office Building across University Ave. from the Capitol is open in January of 2016.
All 67 senators are scheduled to move into the Senate Office Building when it opens. The Senate will hold its floor sessions there during the 2016 session as the Capitol renovation continues.
House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, plans to hold 2016 floor sessions in the House chamber even though holding floor sessions in the Senate Office Building would save the state money.
A Department of Administration analysis said it would cost construction crews $500,000 to accommodate the House in the construction area while it would cost $300,000 to hold the sessions in the new building.
House Republicans used the Senate Office Building as a campaign issue during the 2014 election.
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