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United States Capitol Visitors Center

February 3, 2005

Cold Spring Granite Company is providing stone for the United States Capitol Visitors Center. They will produce over 250,000 square feet of granite for inside and outside the Center, which should open in 2006. The granite comes from Cold Spring Granite's quarries in St. Cloud, Rockville, Isle, and Ely Minnesota, as well as its quarries in Milbank, South Dakota; Lake Placid, New York; and Fredericksburg, Texas. All of the granite is being fabricated in Cold Spring, Minnesota.

The Capitol Visitors Center is on the eastern side of the Capitol. The largest portion of the work is 3-inch thick paving which makes up the exterior sidewalk. Also included are large fountains and interior work. The concept for a Capitol Visitors Center was initiated in the early 1990's with funds appropriated shortly thereafter for the conceptual design. Cold Spring Granite Company worked with several firms over the course of more than ten years to supply samples, details, finish options and budget pricing. Among the firms were RTKL Architects of Washington, DC, Sasaki Associates of Watertown, MA and the Architect of the Capitol, whose responsibilities include the development, maintenance, operation and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex and Capitol grounds, congressional office buildings and other buildings assigned by Congress. Cold Spring Granite Company was awarded the project summer 2003.

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Cold Spring Granite Company started in 1898 and employs 850 people in central Minnesota and 1,250 total in the United States and Canada. Other notable projects of Cold Spring Granite Company include FDR's Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and the National Japanese American Memorial in Washington D.C.; National D-Day Memorial, Bedford, VA; Carlson Towers and 301 and 401 Carlson Parkway in Minnetonka, General Mills World Headquarters in Golden Valley; Minneapolis Beautiful Project on Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; Minnesota History Center, St. Paul; Minnesota Judicial Center, St. Paul; Hennepin County Courthouse, Minneapolis; and Mayo Centennial Dome, Mayo Charlton Building and others, Rochester.