Governor's residence ready for residents

By Aldrich M. Tan
aldrich.tan@indystar.com

July 11, 2006

The renovation of the governor's residence is nearly complete, and the public will get a peek next month.

But it's still not clear when the first family will move in.

The residence at 4750 N. Meridian St. has undergone a more than $2 million privately funded renovation, including fixing windows and replacing an outdated kitchen.

The historic home will reopen for public tours Aug. 24-27, Bill Oesterle, chairman of the governor's residence commission, said in a news release.

"I encourage Hoosiers to visit the home to marvel in its beauty and the work of hundreds of volunteers who donated their time, materials and expertise restoring this home on behalf of the people of Indiana," Oesterle said.

The mansion was supposed to be unveiled at the St. Margaret's Hospital Guild Decorators' Show House in the spring, but Gov. Mitch Daniels pulled out of the arrangement after disagreements over some of the design proposals. The show house eventually moved to the former home of ex-Conseco CEO Stephen Hilbert, where it had one of its most successful runs ever.

Designers Patrick Schmidt and Jim Baker of J. Baker Interiors in Carmel and Tay Ruthenburg of Evaline Karges Interiors in Evansville ended up doing much of the work on the governor's residence -- for free.

"It's an older building that needed some attention," Ruthenburg said.

The refurbished residence will feature a new second-floor eat-in kitchen, an expanded main-floor kitchen, updated bathrooms and plumbing, a first lady's office, a family living room and a family computer center, Ruthenburg said.

The commission is asking tour participants next month for $10 donations to help fund future maintenance of the home. Oesterle told The Indianapolis Star in April that the commission will set aside at least $100,000 in donated funds to Wishard Health Services, the benefactor of the show house.

So when will the governor move into the new residence? Spokeswoman Jane Jankowski said the governor and first lady will move in at some point after the open house.

But she said she didn't know whether the first family would use the home as their main residence.

The governor, who owns a home on the shores of Geist Reservoir, has long expressed ambivalence about living in the mansion full time, although in October he said at the mansion that he planned to "take up residence here."

Asked what that meant, Daniels laughed and said it's "a common English phrase. It means 'move in.' "

"We'll stay there, I'm sure, a good number of nights," Daniels told The Star in December. "As (did) other governors, we have another home, and our (home in Geist) is also convenient to work."

Daughter Meredith Daniels has been living in the carriage house and will remain there when her parents move in, Oesterle said.

"She's 24 and wants a little space," he said.

Call Star reporter Aldrich M. Tan at (317) 444-6309.