Cannon House Office Building

Cannon House Office Building
The Cannon House Office Building viewed from near Independence Avenue and New Jersey Avenue SE
Location within Washington, D.C.
Former names	House Office Building
General information
Status	Complete
Architectural style	Beaux-Arts
Location	United States Capitol Complex
Town or city	Washington, D.C.
Country	United States
Coordinates	38°53′13″N 77°00′25″W / 38.88694°N 77.00694°W / 38.88694; -77.00694Coordinates: 38°53′13″N 77°00′25″W / 38.88694°N 77.00694°W / 38.88694; -77.00694
Completed	1908
Opened	December 12, 1908
Technical details
Material	Marble
Floor count	5
Design and construction
Architecture firm	Carrère and Hastings

The Cannon House Office Building, completed in 1908, is the oldest congressional office building as well as a significant example of the Beaux-Arts style of architecture. It occupies a site south of the United States Capitol bounded by 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.

The first congressional office buildings were constructed immediately after the turn of the 20th century to relieve overcrowding in the 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 to draw plans for fireproof office buildings for both the House and Senate adjacent to the Capitol grounds. In March 1903 the acquisition of sites 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 took charge of the House Office Building project, while John Carrère oversaw the construction of an almost identical office building (now named the Russell Senate Office Building) for the United States Senate. Their Beaux Arts designs were restrained complements to the Capitol.

The Cannon Building was occupied during the 60th Congress in December 1907. By 1913, however, the House had outgrown the available office space, and fifty-one rooms were added to the original structure by raising the roof and constructing a fifth floor that is visible only from the enclosed court. Originally there were 397 offices and fourteen committee rooms in the Cannon Building; the 1932 remodeling resulted in 85 two- or three-room suites, 10 single rooms, and 23 committee rooms.