National Capitol Visitor’s Center, Washington, DC
The US Capitol Visitor Center is a significant addition to the US Capitol. Approximately 1/3 the size of the entire Capitol Building, the new Visitor Center is entirely underground. In addition to providing visitors with tour staging areas, exhibits, multimedia presentations and dining opportunities, the facility will also allow Congress to have additional meeting spaces, including one that will be large enough to comfortably seat a joint session of Congress.
A 500 seat dining room is served by a cafeteria that will feature all American fare. The servery has the ability to close half its area in slow season, yet meet the demands anticipated during the busy summer season which could reach 2,500 meals per day. The kitchen and servery, the part of the project for which we were responsible, total some 11,500 square feet. The kitchen, in addition to meeting daily visitor demands, is also capable of meeting any catering demand that may occur, including a banquet using the entire public dining room. It is anticipated that the many meeting rooms throughout the complex will generate an ongoing demand for catered service. In addition, there are catering pantries that will accommodate outside caterers.