Washington Works

Few people know the nooks, crannies and cracks of the Legislative Building like Dave Boyer. He has spent 20 years as an electrician in the state’s most famous manmade dome, helping to fix and maintain the structure’s plethora of operating systems.

Part of his job has been to serve as an occasional and knowledgeable tour guide of the Legislative Building. He has escorted legislators, other public officials and even reporters and photographers.

“Eyes opened to the problems,” says Boyer, an employee with the Department of General Administration. “You have to walk in our shoes, of the people who maintain the building, to see what’s needed.”

Completed in 1928, the building was a marvel of engineering at the time. Today it’s undergoing a $110 million repair to fix damaged and aging infrastructure, such as pipes, wiring and security systems. The project, managed by General Administration, is scheduled for completion by November 2004.

Boyer has an active role in the project. A big part of his job has been the recycling of material from the building—more than 1,600 tons to date.

Not only has the recycling prevented material from being sent to landfills, it gives charitable organizations the opportunity to further their work. For example, the amount of wood used inside the building for scaffolding and protection of walls and historic fixtures is enough to build three single-family homes.

Boyer will oversee donation of the wood to Habitat for Humanity, which will use the material to build homes for those in need. The group already has received discarded lights and bathroom fixtures from the Legislative Building, a structure for which Boyer holds great respect.

“This is an awesome building,” Boyer says. “You admire how they built things so many years ago. This is the state capitol. It’s the focal point for everyone in Washington.”

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