Get Ready For Disarray at Minnesota Capitol

ST. PAUL (AP) — The massive renovation hiding the graceful lines of Minnesota's Capitol in protective wrap and bristling scaffolding has left the inside even more unrecognizable and uninviting as the Legislature prepares to spring back into action.

Public rally space is non-existent. Temporary walls seal off two-thirds of the building and create cramped corridors. Portable bathrooms are rolling in as substitutes for the real thing. And weekday school and group tours are on hiatus.

These are the biggest disruptions yet in the multi-year, $273 million restoration. Lawmakers and the public get a taste when the session gavels in January 6th.

The fix-up is addressing deterioration of the past 109 years while adding modern touches and technological efficiencies. It won't be done until 2017.