The Nebraska State Capitol, a modern translation of the Beaux-Arts style, was perhaps the most important commission of Bertram Goodhue. In 2007 the Capitol was voted one of America's 150 favorite buildings for the 150th AIA anniversary.

The Nebraska Capitol's tower was designed relatively early in the history of skyscrapers. Although Goodhue consulted with H.G. Balcom, who later engineered New York's Empire State Building, neither may have fully understood the stresses borne by a limestone-on-steel structure. The Capitol Archives document the hapless attempts to clean and restore the exterior. There had never been an extensive study of the underlying cause of the needed repairs. The design team investigated the problems and developed a phasing plan to repair the issues.

The design team used a hands-on survey method and a CAD database to map every crack, mortar failure and spall.

Jury Comments: A beautifully crafted and carefully researched restoration that provides the past with a future. The presentation provided a clear narrative for the architectural and civic value of historic preservation.