O&M Description of the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC

The Hart Senate Office Building (HSOB) is one of three Senate office buildings located to the North of the U.S. Capitol building on the North side of Constitution Avenue. The HSOB is the easternmost Senate office building.

Meeting Room

The following area of the Hart Senate Office Building (HSOB) will be used during the conference:

• Room 902 (ninth floor)

Main Entrance

The main entrance doors to the Hart Senate Office Building are on the South side of the building located on Constitution Avenue. There is one set of four descending steps that run the length of the entire entranceway to the HSOB. The steps are located approximately 10 feet North of the curb on the North side of Constitution Avenue. On the East end of the stairs and on the West end of the stairs there is a descending ramp that can be used to approach the doorway to the HSOB as well. You enter the HSOB through the westernmost set of stationary doors on the outside of the building. This westernmost set of stationary doors is an entrance only. The easternmost set of stationary doors is an exit only. From the outside of the HSOB, the stationary door on the righthand side of this set of stationary doors used to enter the building opens toward you and to the right, and the stationary door on the lefthand side of this set of stationary doors used to enter the building opens toward you and to the left. Once you have entered through this first set of stationary doors, there is another interior stationary door that opens in the same manner. Immediately after you enter through the main entrance doorways, you will be within inches of the security checkpoint that you must pass through to enter any further into the building. For your additional information, there is only one main entrance to the HSOB located on the North side of the building with a security checkpoint as well. However, this main entrance on the North side of the building is not being used for conference purposes.

Lobby Area on First Floor

You enter the HSOB via the main doors that are located on the first floor of the HSOB. Immediately after you enter through the main entrance doorways, you will be within inches of the security checkpoint that you must pass through to enter any further into the building. The security checkpoint involves an x-ray machine and metal detector. With your back to the main entrance doorway, the belt to place your personal belongings on for the x-ray machine is located at waist height to your right (to the East). The metal detector is aligned with the main entrance doorways. If you continue to face North after passing through the security checkpoint, the lobby area of the first floor of the HSOB will be in front of you. There is no seating in any part of the lobby area on the first floor. An atrium ceiling opens the first floor to most of the other floors in the HSOB as well. Most of the other floors above the first floor have balconies that overlook the first floor. The ninth floor does not have a balcony that overlooks the first floor. The ninth floor is the location of the only meeting room in this building being used for conference purposes.

In the center of the atrium area of the first floor, there is a massive statue that reaches several floors upward into the atrium. The statue has several pieces of abstract artwork extending from the statue and connected into bases on the first floor. Each of these bases is permanently roped off.

First Floor Elevators

The two sets of elevators in the HSOB are referred to as the North elevators and the South elevators. Only the North elevators can be used to access the ninth floor meeting room location. Of the two sets of elevators, the North elevators are the furthest set from the South entrance to the building. You must travel North and then East across the atrium area of the first floor to reach the North elevator area.

The North elevator area has six identical elevators with three elevators on the West wall of the North elevator area and three elevators on the East wall of the North elevator area.

Meeting Room 902 (ninth floor)

The only meeting room in the HSOB being used for conference purposes is room 902 on the ninth floor of the HSOB. The ninth floor of the HSOB is carpeted. There is an elevator waiting area. This area forms a "T" with the intersecting hallway. If you have the entire elevator waiting area immediately to your back and are facing North, the lobby area of room 902 will be to your left (West). Turn left at this "T" intersecting hallway to enter the lobby area of room 902. To enter the meeting room, pass through the entire lobby area traveling West. The meeting room area is adjacent to the most western part of the lobby area (to the South of the lobby area).

The meeting room will be set up so that all chairs are facing in the direction of the podium. The podium is in the center of the East wall of the meeting room. The podium is facing West so that the speaker at the podium will be looking toward glass windows that run the entire length of the meeting room along the West side of the meeting room. The glass windows overlook a view of the U.S. Capitol building.

The meeting room is more than three times as big lengthwise (North to South) as it is in width (East to West). The only wall with windows is the West wall of the meeting room that is entirely glass windows. The North, South, and East walls of the meeting room are decorated with black and white photos of the U.S. Capitol building and surrounding area.

There are two square pillars in the center area of the meeting room. If you are standing at the podium facing South toward the seating area for the audience and the West wall of windows, one of the two pillars is located at 10 o'clock and the other pillar is located at two o'clock. The seating area is arranged to avoid obstructed viewing of the podium for those seated in the vicinity of the pillars. At the southernmost end of the East wall there is a corridor that leads to a set of restrooms on this floor. This corridor, and the maintenance rooms that are also located down this corridor, are not being used for conference purposes. The restrooms nearest the meeting room are specified next.

Restrooms nearest the Meeting Room (ninth floor)

There is an elevator waiting area. This area forms a "T" with the intersecting hallway. If you have the entire elevator waiting area immediately to your back and are facing North, the women's restroom is located slightly to the right (East) on the North wall and the men's restroom is located slightly to the left (West) on the North wall.