
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 8, 1990                   TAG: 9003081832
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

ASSOCIATED PRESS

About $1 million will be spent for renovations to the 19th-century Executive Mansion, Gov. Douglas Wilder's office said Wednesday.

Nearly $400,000 of the total is earmarked for Wilder's second-floor private quarters.

"The result will be a lighter, cleaner living area for the governor," a news release said.

The second-floor work is supposed to be completed by April 4. Until then, Wilder may split his time between the 176-year-old mansion and his home in Richmond's North Side.

In addition to replacing sagging floors and repairing windows and doors, crews will repaint the second floor and install new carpet. New wall covering also is planned.

Four fireplaces on the first and second floors will be reactivated, and plans are under way to renovate the basement kitchen.

Also, the news release said, "exterior and interior enhancements" are expected to upgrade utilities and restore historical features.

Wilder's press secretary, Laura F. Dillard, said most of the money for mansion repairs and refurbishing is contained in the state budget and was earmarked for the residence.

The other funds will come from the budgets of such agencies as the Division of Engineering and Buildings.

by CNB