FORUM AND FINANCE BUILDING RENOVATIONS

The Forum (1931) and the Finance (1939) buildings bookend the Soldiers Grove Mall on the east side of the historic and beautiful Capitol Complex. CDA is honored to design improvements to critical spaces within these buildings that have seen few improvements over the last 80 years. The restrooms serve a litany of notable Commonwealth agencies, including the Department of Treasury, the State Library, and the Forum Auditorium which seats 1,750 and is home to the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra.

Challenges on the project included hazardous materials, non-code-compliant entrances via means of egress stair towers, lack of ventilation, and space constraints within buildings embodying our cultural heritage. CDA worked to balance respect for the historic context with an overdue need to modernize these spaces.