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Governor's Mansion Restoration
November 19, 2009
Heritage Society of Austin: Thumbs down on mansion expansion
The Heritage Society of Austin, a leading proponent for rebuilding the fire-gutted Texas Governor’s Mansion, will not support recently revealed plans for a two-story addition to the 153-year-old building.
“How we as Texans treat the mansion sets a standard and sends a signal across our state regarding the inherent value of historic landmarks and preservation of our history,” said Mandy Dealey, society president. “The proposed addition would negatively impact the iconic and symbolic frontal view of the mansion.”
Dealey Herndon, project manager for the mansion restoration, called the group’s opposition regrettable but said she could not comment further until she sees an expected letter outlining the society’s position.
The addition is envisioned for the north side of the mansion, adding about 2,000 square feet of living space largely devoted to private quarters for the first family. Though final designs have not been completed, an enclosed walkway would connect the addition to the mansion.
The addition is sorely needed to address a shortage of living, office and storage space, Herndon said. A private fundraising campaign, which by last month had taken in more than $3.5 million, would pay for the addition.
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October 29, 2009
Mansion addition square-footage
The amount of square footage in the proposed addition to the Governor’s Mansion has changed in our blog this afternoon, and here’s why.
When Preservation Board officials made their presentation at a the Texas Historical Commission meeting in El Paso today, they talked about the 1,000 square feet of living space that the addition would afford.
Actually, there’s 2,000 SF of living space, 1,000 of it private living quarters for the first family, they subsequently clarified.
Two floors plus a basement. Why not 3,000 SF of space, then? we asked.
It’s 3,000 SF of space, yes, experts on such things explained to us, but the more-appropriate number is 2,000 SF — since that’s the amount of finished space that that the addition will include.
For comparison, the existing Mansion contains just over 8,900 SF of finished space.
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Addition recommended for Governor's Mansion
A two-story addition should be built to the north of the arson-gutted Texas Governor’s Mansion to make the home “more livable” for the state’s first families and add much-needed space, new details of the showcase project reveal.
Dealey Herndon, the project manager, said the addition would add approximately 2,000 square feet of finished space on two floors, about half of it to be used as private quarters for the first family. The addition would also include a basement.
The addition would be connected to the house only by an enclosed walkway (known architecturally as a hyphenated addition), not built onto the historic building.
In a presentation to the Texas Historical Commission meeting in El Paso this morning, officials with the State Preservation Board that is overseeing the $26 million restoration project said the north addition appears the best solution among well over a dozen alternatives that were considered.
While recommended by the project managers, the proposal faces opposition and questions from some historical commission officials, who argue that it is too intrusive to the historic appearance of the mansion.
The historical agency must approve a permit for the addition because the mansion is a registered historic structure.
“I think we can get additional space without going to a hyphenated addition,” said Commissioner Donna Carter, an Austin architect. “We just don’t agree at this point on which way to go.”
The new conceptual plan is much different than what was earlier publicly discussed. One initial concept discussed by some legislative leaders was to build an addition directly onto the north side of the mansion’s 1914 addition — at the northwest corner of the two-story brick manse — that would have had little impact on the public view from the front of the house.
As conceived, the new addition could be clearly seen from Colorado Street — which officials are also considering closing to improve security at the official governor’s residence.
The addition would include two bedrooms and two bathrooms on the second floor, a connecting stairway and a kitchen, storage and office space on the first floor. It would also feature a basement for mechanical equipment.
It would be connected to the historic 1856 mansion by a so-called “hyphen,” an enclosed hallway. While final designs have not been completed, Herndon said it would generally match or complement the historic appearance of the mansion.
Cost for the addition is expected to be about $1.2 million, to be paid for through a private fundraising campaign that has been underway for more than a year, officials said. By last month, the fund had raised more then $3.5 million.
“Our team feels strongly that this is the best option,” she said. “There’s no other option to look at.”
The mansion was heavily damaged by an arson fire in June 2008. Gov. Rick Perry and his wife had moved out for a $10 million renovation project to fix safety problems and structural degradation, so nobody was injured in the pre-dawn blaze.
The Perrys are living in a 6,000-square-foot gated rental house near Barton Creek Country Club at a cost to the state of $9,000 per month.
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September 14, 2009
Mansion fundraising tops $3.5 million
The private fundraising drive to restore the historic Texas Governor’s Mansion that was gutted in an arson fire 15 months ago has topped the $3.5 million mark in donations and pledges.
Among the most recent donors are former governors and their families, who now account for $482,000 of the total raised.
Gov. Rick Perry has kicked in $20,000, records showed this afternoon.
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who wants to unseat Perry in his GOP primary election next spring so she can live in the storied mansion, contributed $1,000 in August 2008.
“We’re obviously very pleased with this milestone,” said Melanie Spencer, press secretary for first lady Anita Perry who is spearheading the fundraising effort.
According to the latest figures from last week, the total in cash and pledges now totals $3.505,927.78 — up from the $2.9 million in cash and pledges recorded at the end of last year.
Officials in charge of the restoration project say the private money will be used to stretch state money. The Legislature earlier this year appropriated $22 million to repair and restore the circa-1856 house, the oldest executive mansion in continuous use west of the Mississippi River.
The Mansion was gutted by flames on June 8, 2008 after an arsonist scaled the front fence undetected, tossed a Molotov cocktail onto the front porch and then escaped as fire quickly engulfed the front of the tall-columned brick manse.
Authorities said the investigation is continuing, but have declined to elaborate. No suspects have been arrested or charged in the blaze, and a $50,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist remains uncollected.
According to the latest donation records, Nine former governors or their families have contributed to the fundraising drive: former Govs. Dolph Briscoe, $100,000; Bill Clements, $5,000, and Mark White, $1,000; the family of the late Gov. Preston Smith, $7,000; Mark Connally, son of the late Gov. John Connally; $1,000; Maryalice Shivers Ferguson, daughter of the late Gov. Allan Shivers, $10,000; the family of the late Gov. Price Daniel, $101,000; the family of the late Gov. William Hobby and former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, $6,000, and the family of the late Gov. Dan Moody, $40,000.
Dealey Herndon, project manager for the State Preservation Board that is overseeing the high-profile project, earlier said the restoration could take 24 to 30 months. The building has been stabilized and restoration work is expected to begin later this fall.
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