VOLUME 9 FALL 2018

FEATURE: REVEALING 

A TILED TREASURE

EMPOWERED WORKFORCE: 

RECLAIMING AN ORDINARY DAY

PROJECT UPDATE: 

CAPITOL POWER PLANT
PROJECT UPDATE:

Learn more about the 

Cogeneration project at the 

Capitol Power Plant.

EMPOWERED WORKFORCE:

A story of employees coming 

together to improve safety 

on campus for everyone.

COOL TOOL:

Read how this cool tool is 

transforming how we identify 

underground utilities. 

2

FEATURE: How a successful immigrant family left their 

mark on the Capitol campus, and the AOC’s work to clean 

and preserve a historic treasure. Photo by Chuck Badal

20

In This Issue

 1 ARCHITECT’S NOTEBOOK 

 2 PROJECT UPDATE

 Capitol Power Plant

 4 EMPOWERED WORKFORCE

 Reclaiming an 

Ordinary Day

 8 FEATURE

 Revealing a Tiled Treasure

 17 Cool Cannon 

Construction Finds 

 20 COOL TOOL

 RIGID SEEKTECH 

SR-60 Locator

COVER: A bowler hat was discovered 

during the renewal of the Cannon House 

Office Building. Photo by Chuck Badal

8

4
THOLOS • FALL 2018 1

While I often use this space to write about 

some of my favorite architectural features 

found on Capitol Hill, I want to use this 

Architect’s Notebook to write about my 

favorite and most important part of this organization: 

you! More specifically, your spirit and your giving and 

generous spirit, to be exact. I am often asked what the 

favorite part of my job is, and I always respond that it’s 

the opportunity to work with people that have such a 

generous spirit.

I always love to see and hear how you regularly give of 

your time, talents and treasure as you volunteer throughout 

the agency. I appreciate the happiness and contentment 

on the faces of those volunteering with the students at 

the Phelps Architecture, Construction and Engineering 

High School in Washington, D.C. Our volunteers have 

played an integral role in educating these future mechanics, 

architects, engineers and construction professionals. I feel 

the excitement and pride our employees have in sharing 

their jobs with children on “Take Our Daughters and 

Sons to Work Day.” And, I watch how you enthusiastically 

support others through your events and contributions to 

the Combined Federal Campaign.

Your giving spirit extends to your jobs as well. 

Your welcoming smiles create a warm and hospitable 

One of My Favorite Things

atmosphere for our visitors. Your passion is obvious, 

whether in teaching a young child about plants or 

educating visitors about the history of our great nation. 

Your generous spirit shows up in how you treat each 

other and help each other, in generating new ideas, 

training each other, and making sure you and others work 

safely. You give careful attention when working in our 

historic and iconic spaces. You go out of your way to take 

care of people, whether our customers, lost employees in 

the hallway or our visitors.

When people compliment you on your work, I see the 

happiness it brings to you. And when you are leaving for 

the day, I can see that you are content and pleased with 

your work.

I want you to know how proud I am of all of you and 

the work you do every day. The Architect of the Capitol 

is a better organization because of you. t

Stephen T. Ayers, FAIA, LEED AP

Architect of the Capitol

ARCHITECT’S NOTEBOOK 

Left, middle right photos by Dewitt Roseborough; Middle left photo by James Rosenthal; Right photo by Luke Walter
2 THOLOS • FALL 2018

The HRSG’s long road trip 

comes to an end in the 

nation’s capital. Photo by 

Christopher Potter
THOLOS • FALL 2018 3 

PROJECT UPDATE

Capitol Power Plant

WRITTEN BY JUSTIN KIEFFER

I

n October 2015, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) 

began its Cogeneration project at the Capitol Power 

Plant. The goal of Cogeneration for the AOC is to 

use a single fuel source, natural gas in this case, to 

generate electricity and capture the heat by-product from 

combustion to generate steam. The electricity will be used 

to supplement plant electrical requirements, while the 

steam will heat the Capitol campus. Cogeneration will 

allow the Capitol Power Plant to decrease its dependency 

on the unreliable boilers that currently provide heat, but 

date back to the 1950s.

The two major pieces for Cogeneration are the 

combustion turbine generator and the heat recovery 

steam generator (HRSG). Detailed planning, design 

and construction was required to carefully fit these large 

pieces of equipment into the Capitol Power Plant’s 

historic East Refrigeration Plant prior to their delivery in 

July 2017. Both pieces were oversized loads and required 

special permits to be transported across the country. 

A massive 550-ton-capacity crane — that’s enough to 

carry about 84 African elephants at the same time — was 

on hand for the arrival of the equipment and was used 

to unload each component. The 550-ton-capacity crane 

lifted the equipment in the air, while a second 165-toncapacity crane rotated the HRSG 90 degrees in midair 

to the upright position — a very slow Cirque de Soleil 

show. Both pieces of equipment were then rigged using a 

special motorized dolly to get them into the building and 

placed on their permanent foundations. 

Following the successful delivery of this critical 

equipment, the project team proceeded to install the 

complicated electrical, plumbing and mechanical 

elements that make the system work. The final phase 

of this project included a 30-day reliability run to 

ensure the machinery was properly commissioned and 

in working order. The reliability run was successfully 

completed on August 17, 2018, and work on the project 

is complete. t

PROJECT UPDATE

LEFT: The HRSG, still angled on its side from transportation across the country, is lifted off the trailer and toward the East Refrigeration 

Plant. Photo by Chuck Badal MIDDLE: Cogeneration electrical equipment enters the turbine hall using the existing overhead crane. 

Photo by Chuck Badal RIGHT: The HRSG makes its way into the East Refrigeration Plant. Photo by Dewitt Roseborough
4 THOLOS • FALL 2018

TimothEMPO y McClennon WERED WORKFORCE

carefully checks the 

undercarriage of an 

AOC vehicle. 
THOLOS • FALL 2018 5 

Reclaiming an 

Ordinary Day

WRITTEN BY ERIN COURTNEY • PHOTOS BY LUKE WALTER

What I love most about Capitol Hill is that 

its vibrancy is infectious. There is always 

something happening here. Shuttles 

whizzing up the Hill ferrying visitors; 

rallies for or against various causes; members rushing to 

vote; staff shuffling papers and binders; and projects — 

lots of projects. 

Construction projects on the Capitol campus are 

as constant as the ringing of the bells that summon 

lawmakers to the chambers for votes. And with projects 

come contractors making deliveries. Last spring, a truck 

approached a security checkpoint with a load of lumber. 

The contractor exited the truck to present paperwork 

to police officers manning the screening area. While 

inside, the brakes on the vehicle failed. The truck, 

driverless, drifted down the hill and smashed into the 

Summerhouse. This would be no ordinary day. 

Minutes after the accident, Lee Dennis, Facilities 

Operations supervisor with Capitol Grounds and 

Arboretum, arrived at the Summerhouse to help. “I 

was standing next to the Summerhouse looking at the 

truck when 20 toddlers holding a rope walked past me. 

I started to shake when I realized that they would have 

never heard the contractor’s drifting truck and likely 

would have been hit had they passed by minutes earlier.”

It is easy to take for granted an ordinary day strolling across the beautiful 

landscaped grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Chirping birds, chittering squirrels, humming 

lawnmowers and the excited voices of children on their first visit to Washington, D.C., 

make up the soundtrack of the Capitol campus. In between, there might be a 

muffled clanking of a hammer or the scratching of a stone mason hard at work 

preserving the area so it can continue to inspire generations to come. 

Garry Belotindos methodically inspects an AOC vehicle.
6 THOLOS • FALL 2018

Dennis, who knew that the Architect of the Capitol 

(AOC) had a couple of vehicles with braking systems 

similar to those of the contractor, immediately recalled 

those trucks for reinspection. In the process, he 

coordinated with the Property Management Branch to 

ground vehicles that did not pass inspection.

“We were really committed to getting the AOC fleet 

program in better shape,” said Percell Artis Jr. the property 

management supervisor in the Acquisition and Material 

Management Division (AMMD). “Capitol Grounds, 

with their on-site mechanics, was a great partner,” he 

said. Henry Makwakwa, AMMD fleet manager, worked 

on adding verbiage to the fleet manual that provided 

clearer guidelines for annual inspections. “We instituted 

an inspection period from April through July. Including 

the language in our manual helps us hold property officers 

across the agency accountable. We want all of our vehicles 

to be safe and roadworthy,” said Makwakwa. 

With the Property Management Branch’s support, 

Dennis leveraged the Summerhouse experience to 

implement a management tool to track vehicles owned 

and operated by the agency. The team inspected, stickered 

and now tracks all vehicles from dump trucks to a 

tiny one-seater cart. Vehicles identified as “in need of 

inspections” are shared at executive staff meetings. “From 

top to bottom, the AOC team supported our efforts to 

ensure the safety of the vehicles we operate on campus. 

The tracker is a tool to encourage responsibility for our 

EMPOWERED WORKFORCE

Members of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum inspect vehicles operating on the Capitol campus.
THOLOS • FALL 2018 7 

assets, both human and mechanical,” said Jim Kaufmann, 

director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum. In a twomonth period, the entire fleet was inspected and certified 

safe to operate.

Indeed, with rapidly climbing visitor rates — 5 

million visitors were welcomed to the Capitol campus 

in Fiscal Year 2018 — supporting and operating wellmaintained vehicles is even more urgent. “There are so 

many people walking around our workplace, and the 

degree of difficulty to traverse campus has become much 

more challenging, making good brakes, safety lights 

and mirrors a must. I want to know that I have done 

everything I can do to make AOC, and the people who 

visit the nation’s capital, safe.” said Dennis. 

Even with the success of the fleet tracker, Dennis is 

convinced that he and his team can do better. He wanted 

the inspection process to be more proactive, so now he 

is working with Andrew Glendening, management 

and program analyst in Safety, Fire and Environmental 

Programs on a computer-aided facility management system 

that will provide automated alerts to vehicle owners or 

custodial managers when it’s time to get a vehicle inspected.

“At the start of this process, I was surprised at the 

condition of one of our trailers and thought to myself, 

‘I’ve given away better stuff,’ but now I am proud of the 

progress we’ve made in vehicle maintenance. To me, 

safety is non-negotiable.” And we can all agree that an 

ordinary day is the best kind of day. t

EMPOWERED WORKFORCE

Stevan Boozer (left) and Lee Dennis (right) check the paperwork on a recently inspected vehicle. 

“

There are so many 

people walking 

around our workplace, 

and the degree 

of difficulty to 

traverse campus has 

become much more 

challenging, making 

good brakes, safety 

lights and mirrors a 

must. I want to know 

that I have done 

everything I can do to 

make AOC, and the 

people who visit the 

nation’s capital, safe.” 
8 THOLOS • FALL 2018

Revealing 

a Tiled 

Treasure

BY KRISTEN FREDERICK 

PHOTO BY CHUCK BADAL
THOLOS • FALL 2018 9 
10 THOLOS • FALL 2018

The year is 1881. In September, U.S. President James Garfield has unexpectedly died 

due to complications from a thwarted assassination attempt that occurred in July. A 

day later, Chester A. Arthur is sworn in as president. The population of the United 

States is just north of 50 million people, and the country consists of 38 states. 

This same year, a Spanish man and his young son will set foot on a ship bound for New York. Though 

the man speaks no English, he carries with him $40,000 and his ticket to success — his extensive 

knowledge of a medieval construction technique that he will introduce to the American architectural 

community. In the following decades, his method will be utilized on hundreds of prestigious buildings 

across the United States and transform him into a true American success story. 

Superintendent of the Capitol Building 

and Grounds Elliott Woods (left) and 

Speaker of the House Joseph Cannon 

oversaw the development and 

construction of the first House office 

building in the early 1900s. 

FEATURE
THOLOS • FALL 2018 11

THE GUASTAVINO 

INFLUENCE AND LEGACY

While his name is not well known, 

his work and legacy graces hundreds 

of buildings across the United 

States. Born into a large family 

in 1842 in Valencia, Spain, Rafael 

Guastavino Sr. (pronounced “gwahstuh-veeno”) at first desired to be a 

musician but showed an aptitude for 

architecture and began pursuing his 

passion as a teenager. With the help 

of a wealthy uncle, he was able to 

further his education in Barcelona, 

eventually graduating with the title 

of “master builder.” 

Guastavino’s training had 

stressed practical, hands-on building 

techniques and led to his use of tile 

vaulting, a traditional technique 

that was common in his Spanish 

region of Catalonia. Tile vaulting, 

a masonry construction method, 

uses multiple layers of thin ceramic 

tiles and mortar to create an arched 

structure, such as a ceiling or dome. 

This quick and economical building 

system was a way to replace the 

stone vaulting method traditionally 

used in buildings, which was timeconsuming, labor intensive, heavy 

and expensive. After finding success 

by incorporating tile vaulting into 

many of his building projects in 

Barcelona, Guastavino left Spain, 

never to return, on a mission to bring 

the region’s tile vaulting technique to 

North America.

By the 1880s, construction 

methods in the United States were 

undergoing a transformation. Safety 

was a top concern, especially after 

several devastating fire incidents 

such as the Great Chicago Fire 

in 1871 that burned more than 

six square miles of the populous 

American city. The demand for 

improved safety standards fueled 

construction innovation and paved 

the way for Guastavino to introduce 

his fireproof tile vaulting technology 

to the architects of the time. 

He soon found his footing as a 

vault builder, rather than an architect 

in charge of designing an entire 

building. In 1885, Guastavino filed 

three patents and ushered in an era 

in which his company dominated 

the field of tile vault construction. 

The burgeoning Beaux Arts 

architectural movement in America 

was a perfect match for Guastavino’s 

impressive and graceful tile vaulting 

system. Beaux Arts, with its use of 

artistic craftsmanship and elegantly 

ornamented classical style, could be 

matched in spectacle by Guastavino’s 

elaborate tilework designs. 

Major success for Guastavino’s 

expanding company soon followed, 

including the design and construction 

of tile vaults for the Boston Public 

Library, now considered one of 

the most influential projects of 

Guastavino’s career. By the early 

1890s, the Guastavino Company 

was simultaneously working on 

major projects in Boston, New York, 

Chicago, Minneapolis and Providence. 

It was in the city of Providence, 

Rhode Island that the Guastavino 

Company first collaborated with the 

esteemed Beaux Arts architectural 

firm of John Carrère and Thomas 

Hastings, signaling the beginning of 

many partnerships between the two 

companies. One such collaboration 

would have an enduring impact on 

Capitol Hill.

DESIGN OF THE CANNON 

HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING 

At the turn of the 20th century, 

the population of the United 

States had grown to more than 76 

million people and a total of 45 

states. The U.S. Capitol Building 

in Washington, D.C., was bursting 

at the seams with 391 members of 

the House of Representatives. With 

severely limited office space in the 

FEATURE

WHAT IS TILE VAULTING? 

Tile vaulting is a construction method 

that uses interspersing layers of thin ceramic 

tiles and fast-drying mortar to create an arched 

ceiling. The system does not require the use of 

iron beams or extensive support during construction. 

The end result is a graceful, elegant dome that can handle a high load 

capacity. During the Guastavino Company’s peak, an average-sized tile 

vault could be assembled by skilled craftsmen in a matter of weeks.
12 THOLOS • FALL 2018

U.S. Capitol, most members worked 

at their desk in the House Chamber. 

To relieve the U.S. Capitol’s 

overcrowding problem, 

Superintendent of the Capitol 

Building and Grounds Elliott 

Woods was given the responsibility 

of spearheading an effort to plan 

and oversee the construction of 

the first House office building. 

Woods requested permission to hire 

a consulting architecture firm to 

design the building, along with the 

assistance of his staff of architects 

and engineers. He soon became 

acquainted with the prestigious New 

York firm of Carrère and Hastings, 

which agreed to design a building 

with the appropriate architectural 

effect that would complement but 

not compete with the neighboring 

U.S. Capitol. By the summer of 

1904, excavation on the chosen site 

south of the U.S. Capitol was well 

underway. (The Senate would soon 

follow suit with the construction 

of their own office building to 

the north of the U.S. Capitol, also 

designed by Carrère and Hastings.)

Continuing their Beaux Arts 

design tradition, Carrère and 

Hastings created an elegant yet 

deferential design with an interior 

rotunda that functioned as the 

building’s main lobby. Ringed by 18 

Corinthian columns supporting a 

coffered dome, this grand circular 

vestibule was an unexpected but 

compelling welcome to visitors and 

members alike. Located on the first 

floor of the building (now known 

as the second floor), the rotunda 

required a structurally sound dome 

below that could handle its load 

of stone and plaster. There seems 

to have been no debate among the 

architects: the Guastavino Company 

would be the perfect fit for the job.

NAMING OF THE CANNON HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING 

When the Cannon Building opened in 1908, it was known simply as the House Office Building. After the 

completion of a second House office building in 1933, the 1908 building became known as the “Old” House 

Office Building. On May 21, 1962, Public Law 87-453 retitled the three House office buildings and named the 

“Old” House building for Speaker Joseph Gurney Cannon, who served as an Illinois House representative for 

46 years and was speaker during the construction of the building.

FEATURE
THOLOS • FALL 2018 13 

GUASTAVINO’S 

CONTRIBUTION TO 

CAPITOL HILL 

While records of the Guastavino 

Company’s work in the Cannon 

Building are sparse, the Guastavino 

name can be found on a number of 

the original drawings. The plans called 

for a sub-basement (now basement) 

rotunda with a “timbrel arch” vault 

(“timbrel” being the name coined 

by Guastavino to distinguish his 

patented tile vaulting design). Fullfledged construction of the building 

commenced in 1905 and while few 

records of the Guastavino arch’s 

building process exist, archival photos 

taken on March 28, 1907, show 

the construction of the Guastavino 

Company’s wooden arch forms 

spanning the sub-basement level. 

The tile dome’s design was as 

simple as it was graceful: nine 

sunken wedges containing creamcolored laminated tiles styled in 

a herringbone pattern, separated 

by radiating ribs, and all joined by 

a center ring. Using four layers of 

tile and Portland cement (a quicksetting mortar), the vault was most 

likely constructed in only a matter 

of months. Work on the grand 

rotunda above then continued with 

the pouring of a concrete bed for the 

marble floor.

TOP: Very few photos and drawings 

exist from the construction of the 

Cannon Building’s tile vaulted ceiling. 

This March 1907 photo shows the 

Guastavino Company’s building of 

the wooden arch forms over the subbasement rotunda. BOTTOM: July 1905 

section drawing showing the general 

arrangement of the “timbrel arch” vault 

construction, which has been preserved 

in the AOC’s archival collection.

FEATURE
14 THOLOS • FALL 2018

With Guastavino Sr.’s unexpected 

death in early 1908, he would have 

never seen the completed Cannon 

Building, which officially opened its 

doors on December 12, 1908.

A REVEALING CLEANING 

Dirt. Dust. Stains. 

By the start of the Cannon 

Renewal’s Phase 1 in 2017, the 

United States had more than 308 

million people and a total of 50 states. 

In the Cannon Building, after more 

than 100 years of use, layers of grime 

had accumulated on the tile vaulted 

ceiling of the Guastavino basement 

rotunda. Cigarette smoke, grease 

from a nearby kitchen and constant 

daily use of the historic space had 

taken their toll. Over the years, the 

cream-colored tiles had faded to a 

dingy kaleidoscope of browns, and 

the original color was lost to history. 

Despite the overall discoloration, the 

basement rotunda dome was found 

to be structurally sound at the start of 

the Renewal project.

While much of the Renewal 

project focuses on upgrading the 

failing infrastructure systems, the 

historic preservation of the building’s 

original elements is a key objective 

of the Renewal’s mission. The 

essence of historic preservation is the 

process of retaining, restoring and 

rehabilitating a building’s historic 

fabric to allow future generations 

to learn from the past and preserve 

history. This important work 

includes restoring historic elements 

such as the Cannon Building’s 

Guastavino rotunda ceiling. 

After workers sprayed a latex poultice on the tiles and let it dry, the poultice adhered to the accumulated dirt and dust. Once the latex 

was peeled back, it revealed the original color of the Guastavino tile. Photos by Chuck Badal

FEATURE

“The Guastavino tile vaulted 

ceiling remains intact as it was 

originally constructed in 1907,” 

explained AOC Historic Preservation 

Officer Mary Oehrlein. “As part of 

the Cannon Renewal, the ceiling tile 

was cleaned and minor repairs were 

made. Additionally, the cove lighting 

was replaced with LEDs and the 

rotunda walls were repainted.”

After conducting extensive 

research on how to safely clean the 

porous terra cotta tile, the Cannon 

Renewal project team directed 

the contractor to test the cleaning 

method on a small section of the 

ceiling. The results were dramatic. 

“The workers sprayed a latex 

poultice on the tiles, then once 

dry, peeled it back from the tile,” 

said Cannon Renewal Senior 
THOLOS • FALL 2018 15

The historic character of the Guastavino 

rotunda dome has been preserved for 

future generations. Photo by Chuck Badal
16 THOLOS • FALL 2018

Project Manager Donna Klee. 

Klee has supervised the Renewal’s 

historic preservation work for the 

past four years. 

“It was amazing to see how the 

poultice was able to remove those 

100 years of grime without disturbing 

the texture of the tile or the original 

grouting system,” she said. “I think 

everyone who walks through that 

space will be really impressed.”

Ultimately, the Cannon Renewal 

project was able to achieve its goal for 

the Guastavino rotunda dome: safely 

preserve a priceless piece of America’s 

cultural heritage using the latest 

historic preservation technology. 

“The brilliance of the Guastavino 

rotunda dome cannot be understated,” 

said AOC Preservation Architect 

Marty Shore. Shore has studied 

the dome extensively and has 

given presentations on its history 

and construction. “The dome the 

Guastavino Company created for 

the Cannon Building is an excellent 

example of the skilled craftsmanship 

and technology of that time. The 

design was both economical and 

beautiful. Simply put, we could not 

do this as easily today.”

After a steady decline in business 

due to changing tastes and new 

building practices, the Gustavino 

Company closed in 1962. While 

the art of structural tile vaulting 

may be considered a relic of history, 

the Guastavino legacy lives on 

throughout the United States and 

especially in the nation’s capital. The 

work of the Cannon Renewal project 

ensures that legacy will continue to 

shine in the Cannon Building. t

TOP: As senior project manager for the Cannon Renewal, Donna Klee is intimately familiar 

with the historic aspects of each space in the Cannon Building. Photo by Chuck Badal

BOTTOM: Before the start of Phase 1, Marty Shore gave entertaining talks on the Guastavino 

rotunda dome’s construction history. The story of the Renewal’s cleaning and preservation 

work will soon be a part of his future presentations. Photo by Dewitt Roseborough

FEATURE
THOLOS • FALL 2018 17 

Cool Cannon 

Construction Finds

WRITTEN BY KRISTEN FREDERICK • PHOTOS BY CHUCK BADAL

During the process of renewing the Cannon House Office Building, workers have 

found hidden treasures that had been lost or discarded by the laborers who constructed 

the building more than 100 years ago. Here’s a small sampling of what has been 

discovered since the start of the Cannon Renewal project in 2015.

House curator Farar Elliott and 

AOC curator Michele Cohen review 

the historic items that were found 

during the initial phase of the 

Cannon Renewal project.
18 THOLOS • FALL 2018

Nestled in a first-floor crawlspace near the southwest elevators, 

an electrician discovered a bowler hat that may be from the 

days of the Cannon Building’s original construction. Before the 

ubiquity of hard hats on construction sites, it was common for 

workers in the early 1900s to wear felt bowler hats.

Discarded and crumpled newspapers, 

some 100 years old, have been found 

behind the walls and in the ceilings. 

FEATURE

Excavation in the east basement 

corridor led to the discovery 

of this bronze spout that was 

most likely used on a pipe 

connection.
THOLOS • FALL 2018 19

Construction materials used during 

the original building construction 

in the early 1900s have been a 

common find.

Bottles of all shapes and sizes 

were found hidden behind 

walls during demolition. 

FEATURE
20 THOLOS • FALL 2018

COOL TOOL

AOC employees test an 

underground utility locator 

on the West Front lawn of 

the U.S. Capitol Building. 
THOLOS • FALL 2018 21 

P

fiffer, his Capitol Grounds colleagues as well 

as staff from the Construction Division, High 

Voltage Section and the Office of Security 

Programs (OSP) gathered for a briefing on the 

RIGID SEEKTECH device and to practice using it in a 

real-world setting. “We don’t know what we have in the 

ground and usually find out when we dig it up,” said Jason 

Vandervliet a facility management specialist in OSP. 

The SR-60 has eight receiving antennas making it 

easier for the person operating the locator to get a signal 

from buried utility lines as deep as 15 feet. Location, 

direction and depth of utility lines can be seen on the 

large graphical screen to easily trace their paths. Use 

of the device makes locating utilities faster and more 

accurate in the field.

The SR-60 also enables the Architect of the Capitol 

(AOC) to quickly respond to requests to dig on the 

U.S. Capitol Grounds. An individual who petitions to 

hold an event on the grounds, must now complete a 

Capitol Grounds Utility Permit to Dig that identifies 

the worksite, describes the work being done and provides 

contacts for the AOC stakeholders with utilities that 

might be in that area. 

COOL TOOL

RIGID SEEKTECH 

SR-60 Locator

WRITTEN BY ERIN COURTNEY • PHOTOS BY SUSANNE BLEDSOE

The AOC’s version of Miss Utility, this step is important 

to ensuring the safety of those digging and the utilities 

under the ground. Mark Woolridge, Capitol Grounds 

and Arboretum pipefitter supervisor, says that much of 

the irrigation on Capitol Square is a 1932 system that the 

AOC has upgraded intermittently. Spikes driven into the 

ground in support of Capitol Concerts and other events 

have created holes in copper pipes that the team must 

patch. Using the SR-60 and the Capitol Grounds Utility 

Permit to Dig to mark the lines prior to disturbing the 

soil, should help decrease the number of utility intrusions. 

Previously, the AOC had to rely on the institutional 

memories of its team. “I was on vacation and got a call 

from a colleague who needed to find a waterline as soon 

as possible. Over the phone, I told him to stand in Senate 

Park, find the third window on the Russell Building 

to the north of Constitution Avenue, go to the second 

bench and the line should run behind the first oak tree,” 

said Woolridge. The addition of the SR-60 should make 

calls like that a thing of the past. 

In the words of Jedi Master Yoda, “Always pass on 

what you have learned.” And remember to charge the 

SR-60! t

Under a bright blue cloudless sky, Ronnie Pfiffer, Capitol Grounds and Arboretum 

pipefitter, stood on the West Front looking down with the focus and concentration 

of a Jedi. In his hands, he held not a lightsaber but a RIGID SEEKTECH SR-60. 

The black and gold underground utility locator emitted sounds reminiscent of 

an anxious R2-D2 trying to deliver a message to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Upon closer 

inspection, the device even included two black orbs shaped like the Death Star.
Communications and Congressional Relations

U.S. Capitol, Room SB-16

Washington, DC 20515

The Architect of the Capitol strives 

to meet its mission 24 hours a day, 

365 days a year to serve Congress 

and the Supreme Court, preserve

America’s Capitol, and inspire 

memorable experiences for all who 

visit the buildings and grounds.

Tholosis distributed by the Architect 

of the Capitol primarily for AOC 

employees. Questions regarding 

content and publication should be 

directed to AOC Communications 

and Congressional Relations at 

communications@aoc.gov, 

202.228.1793, or U.S. Capitol, Room 

SB-16, Washington, DC 20515.

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www.aoc.gov

ANSWER: This beautiful corridor 

can be found on the second floor 

of the Thomas Jefferson Building.

Photo by James Rosenthal

Where is this?