>> CATHY: IT’S OFTEN CALLED MINNESOTA’S FRONT LAWN.

THE MALL IN FRONT OF THE PEOPLE’S HOUSE IS ABOUT TO UNDERGO A MAJOR TRANSFORMATION TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE THERE.

STATE CAPITOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE SOMETHING OUR MARY LAHAMMER HAS BEEN TRACKING FOR DECADES AND SHE HAS THIS UPDATE ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT PHASE NOW UNDERWAY.

>> TO RESTORE THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE TO ITS PAST GLORY.

>> Mary: MANY MINNESOTANS CLOSELY WATCHED THE $300 MILLION TOP-TO-BOTTOM RESTORATION OF THE CAPITOL.

NOW ENGAGED CITIZENS ARE LEARNING ABOUT A TRANSFORMATION PLAN FOR THE MALL OUTSIDE.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

>> WELL, I LEARNED THAT THEY HAVE SEVERAL, ALMOST TEN OR SO, NEW DESIGNS FOR THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITOL TO MAKE IT AS NICE AS THEY MADE THE INSIDE OF THE CAPITOL.

>> Mary: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE INSIDE AND THE WORK AND THE RENOVATION?

>> I THINK THE INSIDE'S FANTASTIC.

>> I'M REALLY, YOU KNOW, GRATEFUL FOR THE, YOU KNOW, REDOING OF THE CAPITOL.

IT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL NOW.

I'M VERY INTERESTED IN HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE FROM RURAL MINNESOTA, SUBURBS, THE URBAN AREA TO ALL MIX TOGETHER AND KIND OF LIKE SEE EACH OTHER AS MINNESOTANS AND NOT AS WHATEVER DIFFERENT CAMPS.

>> Mary: DOES THE OUTSIDE MATCH THE SPLENDOR YOU SEE INSIDE AT THIS POINT?

>> OH, O, NO, NO, NO.

[ Laughter ] TOO MANY STREETS, HARD STUFF.

>> Mary: THE PLAN IS TO SLIM DOWN THE FOOTPRINT OF THE STREETS AND SOFTEN THE LANDSCAPE WITH HUNDREDS OF TREES AND WATER FEATURES.

SHADE AND SEATING CAME ACROSS AS A TOP CONCERN IN SURVEYS.

>> OVER TIME THE TREE CANOPY IN THE CAPITOL AREA HAS BEEN ERODED, AS ORIGINAL TREES THAT WERE PLANTED IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN HAVE DIED OFF, THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED AT THE SAME RATE.

SO WE SEE LARGE AREAS THAT LACK SHADE AND TREE COVER.

WE CAN USE THE WIDTH OF THE STREETS AND TAKE BACK THAT SPACE FOR PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE, AS WELL AS FOR TREE CANOPY.

SO HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

>> Mary: WHAT DID YOU LIKE?

WHAT STOOD OUT?

YOU GOT TO SEE SOME OF THE PHOTOS, OME OF THE IDEAS.

>> I LIKE THE IDEA OF THEM PUTTING SOME NATURAL THINGS IN THERE TO REFLECT THE DIFFERENT CULTURES IN MINNESOTA, I LIKE THAT A LOT.

>> WE WANT TO LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE CAN TURN THAT INTO A RESOURCE IN THE HOT SUMMERS.

DECORATIVE WATER FEATURES, LIKE A CASCADE, INTERACTIVE JETS, OR A SEASONAL SKATING LOCATION THAT REALLY COMMUNICATE THE SYMBOLIC IMPORTANCE OF WATER.

>> Mary: WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU?

>> PART OF IT IS JUST FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET INTO THE CAPITOL BUILDING EASIER.

RIGHT NOW IT'S A BIT KIND OF HARD TO GET INTO.

THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT HAVING SOME OTHER RESTAURANT AREAS, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE GREAT, ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN SUPPORT THE IMMIGRANT RESTAURANTS ALONG RICE AND UNIVERSITY.

>> WE LOOKED AT A SOLUTION THAT INVOLVES CREATING A HOLISTIC SYSTEM OF USER EXPERIENCE ELEMENTS.

ONE IS A KIND OF VISITOR AMENITY PAVILION OR SMALL PLACE WHERE WE COULD HAVE RESTROOMS, CAFÉ, MAYBE AN AMBASSADOR THAT WELCOMES THEM TO THE CAPITOL AREA, HELPS THEM GET THEIR BEARINGS, PROVIDES THEM INFORMATION.

ANOTHER LAYER IS WAYFINDING SIGNAGE, AS WELL AS SIGNAGE THAT HELPS YOU TO UNDERSTAND, WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THIS PLACE?

AND WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE TODAY, WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MINNESOTA'S CAPITOL.

AND ANOTHER LAYER OF DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE, WAYS TO INTERACT WITH THE CAPITOL MALL THROUGH YOUR PHONE OR iPAD OR SIGNAGE THAT CHANGES TO REFLECT CHANGES IN SEASON OR EVENTS.

>> Mary: IN ADDITION TO THESE IN-PERSON OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE ON THE CAPITOL MALL REDESIGN, THERE WAS AN ONLINE SESSION WITH SPECIFICS.

>> I THINK IT FELT LIKE A VERY OLD OR FORMAL PLACE.

THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT TO DO THAT FELT FAMILY OR KID FRIENDLY.

WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT CASS GILBERT TO CREATE A MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY DESTINATION AND A PLACE WHERE KIDS CAN COME AND THINK ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN DEMOCRACY AND THEIR FUTURE IN IT.

THAT INCLUDES A RESTROOM, FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES, PICNIC TABLES TO HAVE LUNCH DURING A SCHOOL TRIP, AS WELL AS AREAS TO PLAY AND INTEGRATE PLAY INTO AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

AND HOPEFULLY EVEN BECOME A DESTINATION FOR FAMILIES IN THE REGION WANT TO COME HERE SPECIFICALLY TO PLAY AND TO LEARN A BIT MORE ABOUT THE MINNESOTA CAPITOL.

>> Mary: VISITORS TO THE CAPITOL EXPRESSED EXCITEMENT FOR IMPROVING THE OUTDOORS OF THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.

>> I THINK IT'S KIND OF A CORE PLACE FOR THE STATE, THAT'S WHY I WAS INTERESTED IN HOW TO MAKE USE OF ALL THE HUGE RALLIES THAT HAPPEN OVER ON MLK BOULEVARD.

THIS IS THE 1805 TREATY AREA, IT'S IMPORTANT TO TRY TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO HONOR THE HABITAT AND TREATY FISHING RIGHTS.

I JUST REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF RECOVERING THE HISTORY, YOU KNOW, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, THE NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY, LIKE THE FRENCH CANADIAN HISTORY.

>> THERE COULD BE SIGNS THAT DESCRIBE ECOLOGY AS WELL AS HISTORY, JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES TO GATHER AND ENJOY THEMSELVES.

>> I USED TO WORK ACROSS THE STREET AT CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH, VOLUNTEERING FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I'D COME OVER HERE TO THE CAL CAPITOL AT -- TO THE CAPITOL AT NOONTIME, EASIER TO WALK AROUND UNDERGROUND.

>> Mary: YOU DIDN'T SEE A REASON TO GO OUT THERE, NOTHING CALLED YOU.

>> JUST A LUNCH HOUR.

NO REASON.

IT WAS BETTER TO GO HERE IN THE CAPITOL, ACTUALLY.

>> Mary: THE POTENTIAL PRICE TAG OF 5 TO $30 MILLION DOESN'T DETER THESE OLKS FROM MINNEAPOLIS.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT THE PRICE RANGE, THE 5 MILLION TO $30 MILLION, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

>> HAT SOUNDS REASONABLE.

>> Mary: AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WHO CHAIRS THE CAAP BOARD, OVERSEEING THE PROJECT IS ECSTATIC.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS TO REDESIGN THE CAPITOL MALL?

>> I'M SO EXCITED.

WE'VE HAD AN EXCITING TIME AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS COME TOGETHER, REIMAGINE WHAT MINNESOTA'S FRONT LAWN,