STATEHOUSE NEWS

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The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) will host a “Thank-You Celebration” for the agency’s retiring Chairman, Senator Richard H. Finan, Wednesday, October 16 from 4-6 p.m. A short program is scheduled for 5 p.m. in the Ohio Statehouse Atrium. The event is free and open to the public.

Established in 1988, by the 117th Ohio General Assembly (OGA), CSRAB managed the massive $132 million restoration of the Ohio Statehouse and Capitol Square. With completion of the restoration in 1996, CSRAB transitioned from construction manager to building authority. CSRAB is charged with “maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in and visit the complex.”

For forty years, Senator Richard H. Finan has dedicated his life to serving his fellow Ohioan’s in a variety of positions at the state level. Senator Finan was first elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1973, having previously served as Mayor of Evendale. He joined the Ohio Senate in 1978 and was elected the body’s president in 1997 serving through 2002. During his early years in the OGA Finan found the condition of the Ohio Statehouse wanting. The original Greek Revival edifice was showing signs of age and the interior had been neglected since the mid 1950’s. “I had a fire chief from Evendale come visit shortly after I started in the House. He found 65 code violations in a short walk from the parking garage to my office in the basement of the Statehouse, the place was a firetrap,” Finan explained in a 2011 interview with reporter Bill Cohen.

Under the leadership of Finan, the Capitol Square restoration master plan began in October 1989. The Senate Building and Atrium restoration projects were completed in 1993. The Ohio Statehouse became the focus of the project in 1993 and was completed three years later.

Throughout the restoration, Senator Finan pushed for historical accuracy whenever possible. His belief in restoring the Ohio Statehouse to its 1861 glory wasn’t always easy or inexpensive. The Senator educated skeptics on the importance of historical accuracy and outlasted the detractors and political winds of the time. Today visitors can see a reproduction of the 1849 stained-glass Seal of Ohio skylight, located in the Rotunda oculus. William Powell's "Perry's Victory," the first piece of artwork commissioned for the Statehouse, was returned to its original location in the Rotunda.

As Chairman of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, Richard Finan championed the history, preservation and functionality of the Ohio Statehouse. He served as a true leader and interpreter of Statehouse history for legislators, dignitaries and guests. “There is no doubt in my mind that without the vision, passion and leadership of Senator Richard H. Finan, the Ohio Statehouse would not be the architectural jewel it is today,” said William Carleton, executive director of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board. “As the only chair this agency has known Senator Finan has been a steadfast and passionate advocate for this magnificent building.”

Because of Senator Finan’s dedication to educating young people about Ohio history and the legislative process, he led the way to create a museum and education center on the Statehouse’s ground floor. Featuring educational displays and hands-on computer kiosks, this area serves nearly 80,000 tour visitors each year, inspiring the next generation of public servants.

Please, join us in celebration of Senator Richard H. Finan’s forty years of service to the State of Ohio, Wednesday, October, 16 from 4-6 p.m. in the Statehouse Atrium. Messages of congratulations and thanks should be sent to the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board prior to the event. Mail to:

Senator Finan Thank You
Ohio Statehouse
1 Capitol Square
Columbus, OH 43215

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

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