Helen Sommers Building

View the Helen Sommers Building on the Capitol Campus Map.

Completed in 2017, the Helen Sommers Building became the first modern office building constructed on the historic West Capitol Campus since the Joel Pritchard State Library’s completion in the 1950s.

The Helen Sommers Building, located at the corner of Capitol Way S and 11th Avenue SW, transitions visitors between the historic Capitol Campus and downtown Olympia.

The Helen Sommers Building, named after Rep. Helen Elizabeth Sommers, is the first building on Capitol Campus named after a woman. Rep. Sommers served in Washington’s 36th legislative district from 1972 to 2008. Sommers died the year the building was completed.

Another area of significance for the building is its modern, energy-efficient design. The five-story building features shared conference rooms, dedicated offices, and a huge atrium, all of which receive tons of natural light. In 2017, the building ranked in the top 1% of comparable office buildings for energy performance.

The Helen Sommers Building houses the Hydro Logic sculpture and the Beall Mosaic Mural, two symbolic art pieces that accent the building’s modern aesthetic.

The building also houses the Washington State Patrol, Office of Financial Management, Results Washington, Office of the State Treasurer, Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program Committee, Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee, and Legislative Service Center.

History

In 1982, the state purchased the 1063 Building, also known as the Capital Park Building. Soon after, the Attorney General’s office and the Department of Natural Resources occupied the building. At certain points, the building also housed the Washington State Employees Credit Union, the Olympia Hands On Children’s Museum, and TVW.

When it opened in 1930, the 1063 Building was a popular shopping center for Olympians. However, by the 2010s, it had outlived its usefulness.

In 2013, the state Legislature initiated the 1063 Block Replacement Project, which replaced a parking lot and the state-owned 1063 Building.

Crews demolished the old building and its parking lot in late 2015. The new Helen Sommers Building was completed in just over two years, costing $73.3 million.

The Washington State Patrol and the Office of Financial Management moved into the building shortly after its completion.

In February 2019, crews moved the 28,000-pound Beall mosaic from the aging General Administration Building to the new Helen Sommers Building.