View source for Cannon House Office Building

{{Short description|Government building in Washington, D.C.}}
{{distinguish|Burton Cannon House|George M. Cannon House}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox building
| name                = Cannon House Office Building
| former_names        = House Office Building
| status              = Complete
| image               = File:CannonHouseOffice.jpg
| image_alt           = 
| image_size          = 250px
| caption             = The Cannon House Office Building viewed from near Independence Avenue and New Jersey Avenue SE (2007)
| map_type            = United States Washington, D.C. central
| map_alt             = 
| map_caption         = Location within Washington, D.C.
| relief              = 
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| building_type       = 
| architectural_style = [[Beaux-Arts architecture|Beaux-Arts]]
| structural_system   = 
| material            = Marble
| cost                = 
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| location            = [[United States Capitol Complex]]
| location_town       = Washington, D.C.
| location_country    = United States
| coordinates         = {{coord|38|53|13|N|77|00|25|W|region:US-DC|display=inline,title}}
| groundbreaking_date = 
| start_date          = 
| completion_date     = {{start date and age|1908}}
| opened_date         = {{start date and age|December 12, 1908}}
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| floor_count         = 5
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| architect           = 
| architecture_firm   = [[Carrère and Hastings]]
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}}
The '''Cannon House Office Building''' (often called the "'''Old House Office Building'''"), completed in 1908, is the oldest office building of the [[United States Congress]] in Washington, D.C. A significant example of the [[Beaux-Arts architecture|Beaux-Arts style]] of architecture, it occupies a site south of the [[United States Capitol]] bounded by [[Independence Avenue (Washington D.C.)|Independence Avenue]], First Street, New Jersey Avenue, and C Street S.E. In 1962 the building was named for former [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives]] [[Joseph Gurney Cannon]].<ref name = AOC>{{cite web |title=The Cannon House Office Building |publisher=[[Architect of the Capitol]] |url=http://www.aoc.gov/cc/cobs/chob.cfm |access-date=April 27, 2015}}</ref>

==History==
{{United States House of Representatives}}
The first [[United States Congress|congressional]] office buildings were constructed immediately after the turn of the 20th century to relieve overcrowding in the interior of the then century-old [[United States Capitol]]. Previously, members who wanted office space had to rent quarters or borrow space in committee rooms. In March 1901, Congress authorized [[Architect of the Capitol]] [[Edward Clark (architect)|Edward Clark]] (1822–1902, served 1865–1902), to draw plans for fireproof office buildings for both the House and Senate adjacent north and south to the Capitol grounds. By two years later, in March 1903, the acquisition of land for sites, razing of the private residences and businesses and construction of the buildings were authorized. In April 1904, the prominent New York City architectural firm of [[Carrère and Hastings]] was retained. [[Thomas Hastings (architect)|Thomas Hastings]] (1860–1929), took charge of the southside House Office Building project, while [[John Merven Carrère|John Carrère]] (1858–1911), oversaw the construction of an almost identical office building (now named the [[Russell Senate Office Building]]) for the [[United States Senate]] to the north. Their [[Beaux-Arts architecture|Beaux Arts]] / [[Classical Revival architecture|Classical Revival]] styles of architecture designs were restrained complementary to the original Capitol of 1792–1863.<ref name = AOC/>

The Cannon Building was occupied during the session of the [[60th United States Congress|60th U.S. Congress]] in December 1907. By less than a decade later in 1913, however, the House had already outgrown the available office space, and fifty-one rooms were added to the original structure by raising the roof and constructing a fifth floor (not visible in its exterior view).<ref group=note>Technically in Classical architecture, an [[Attic style|attic]].</ref> that is visible only from the enclosed court and otherwise obscured on the building's exterior public face. Originally there were 397 offices and fourteen committee rooms in the Cannon Building; the subsequent second 1932 remodeling project resulted in 85 two- or three-room suites, 10 single rooms, and 23 committee rooms.<ref name = AOC/> During the late 1960s, the House Beauty Shop, a salon which catered to Congresspersons, their spouses, and employees, was relocated to the Cannon House Office Building from the adjacent smaller and newer [[Longworth House Office Building]] of 1930–1933, under the auspices of the [[United States House Select Committee on the House Beauty Shop|House of Representatives Beauty Shop Committee]].<ref name= House>{{cite web|url=https://history.house.gov/Blog/Detail/15032439907|title=Wash, Rinse, and Equal Treatment|date=2016-10-24|website=United States House of Representatives Archives|access-date=2020-01-10}}</ref>

===2015 renovations===
In January 2015, a top-to-bottom renovation of the Cannon House Office Building began. Completion is expected to take ten years and cost $752.7&nbsp;million. Initially, this renovation project will be focused on upgrading the building infrastructure and utilities, but will progress on to a wing-by-wing exterior and interior reconstruction. According to Bill Weidemeyer (Superintendent of the House), the building "is plagued by safety, health, environmental and operational issues that are rapidly worsening. Many of the building’s systems are original from the 1908 construction."<ref name="Washington Times">{{cite news | url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/18/cannon-house-office-building-begins-752m-renovatio/?page=all | title=Cannon House Office Building begins $752M renovation | work=The Washington Times | date=January 18, 2015 | access-date=27 April 2015 | author=Klimas, Jacqueline | location=Washington, DC}}</ref>

==Architecture==
Architecturally, the elevations are divided into a [[Rustication (architecture)|rusticated base]] and a [[colonnade]] with an [[entablature]] and [[balustrade]]. The colonnades with thirty-four [[Doric columns]] that face the Capitol are echoed by [[pilasters]] on the sides of the building, and very inspired by the [[Louvre Colonnade]] in Paris. The Cannon Building is faced with marble and limestone; while the Senate's Russell Building's base and terrace are gray granite.<ref name = AOC/>

Modern for its time, the building initially included such facilities as forced-air ventilation systems, steam heat, individual lavatories with hot and cold running water and ice water, telephones, and electricity. Both the Cannon Building and the Russell Building are connected to the Capitol by underground passages.<ref name = AOC/>

Of special architectural interest is the [[Rotunda (architecture)|rotunda]]. Eighteen [[Corinthian columns]] support an entablature and a [[coffer]]ed [[dome]], whose glazed [[Oculus (architecture)|oculus]] floods the rotunda with natural light. Twin marble staircases lead from the rotunda to an imposing Caucus Room, which features Corinthian pilasters, a full entablature, and a richly detailed ceiling.<ref name = AOC/>

==Cannon Tunnel==
The north-south Cannon Tunnel connects the Cannon House Office Building to the Capitol. The tunnel is lined with artwork from the annual [[Congressional Institute|Congressional Art Competition]] for high school students.<ref name="Yager">{{cite news | url=https://thehill.com/capital-living/cover-stories/60965-an-a-mazing-guide/ | title=An A-mazing Guide | work=The Hill | date=February 9, 2010 | access-date=27 April 2015 | author=Yager, Jordy | location=Washington, DC}}</ref> Branching off the entrance to the Cannon Tunnel is a separate tunnel southwest to the adjacent [[Longworth House Office Building]], and entrances to a cafeteria, shoe shiner/cobbler, and a Legislative Resource Center. Unlike the tunnels from the Capitol to the Senate Office Buildings on the northside and the Rayburn Tunnel, the Cannon Tunnel because of its age, has no subway line, and is primarily a pedestrian pathway. In addition, a separate tunnel runs between the Cannon building and to the east of the neighboring [[James Madison Memorial Building]], a part of the adjacent [[Library of Congress]] buildings complex.<ref name="Young">{{cite news | url=http://untappedcities.com/2014/07/25/the-underground-city-beneath-the-u-s-capitol-and-library-of-congress/ | title=The Underground City Beneath the U.S. Capitol and Library of Congress | work=Untapped Cities | date=July 25, 2014 | access-date=28 April 2015 | author=Young, Michelle}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Cannon Tunnel Construction.png|Construction of Cannon Tunnel, north-south from Capitol to Cannon Building, {{Circa|1904}}
File:CannonHouseOfficeBuildingRotunda.jpg|Cannon Building rotunda
File:CannonOfficeBuildingDomeView.jpg|Aerial view looking southeast of Cannon House of Representatives Office Building from [[United States Capitol dome|Capitol dome]]
File:Aerial View of the Cannon House Office Building - November 6, 2015 (23293141849).jpg|Aerial view looking west (Capitol at right / north, out of view) of the Cannon House Office Building in 2015 while undergoing latest renovation (scaffold crane in center courtyard). Longworth House Office Building adjacent and further west at top of photo. Rayburn House Office Building barely seen at photo top to the far west.
</gallery>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{USGovernment|url=http://www.aoc.gov/capitol-buildings/cannon-house-office-building|title=Cannon House Office Building|agency=Architect of the Capitol}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Cannon House Office Building}}
* [http://www.aoc.gov/cannon/faqs Cannon Renewal Project FAQs, Architect of the Capitol]
* [http://ghostsofdc.org/2012/10/09/cannon-house-office-trivia/ Ghosts of DC blog: Three Bits of Trivia About the Cannon House Office Building]

{{United States Capitol Complex|state=expanded}}
{{United States Congress}}
{{Carrère and Hastings}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1908 establishments in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Beaux-Arts architecture in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:Carrère and Hastings buildings]]
[[Category:Congressional office buildings]]
[[Category:Government buildings completed in 1908]]
[[Category:Independence Avenue (Washington, D.C.)]]