Easleys are back in governor's mansion

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Saturday, February 4, 2006

Easleys are back in governor's mansion

$4 million renovations to solve mold problem have been completed

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By Ingram

JOURNAL RALEIGH BUREAU

Winston-Salem,NC

RALEIGH

Gov. Mike Easley has moved back to a cleaner, drier version of the

governor's mansion.

He and his wife, , returned to the home about three weeks ago

after five months and $4 million in renovations, state officials

said yesterday.

The renovations included the removal of mold spores that had been

building up for years. Workers have installed a new ventilation

system and new insulation, have waterproofed parts of the house and

have repainted much of the interior.

" It is mold-free, " said N.C. Secretary of Administration Britt Cobb,

who oversaw the project.

" It was a major, major project, " Cobb said. " I think it was a lot

bigger than we ever thought it would be because of the severity of

the mold. "

Mold spores can cause allergic reactions, including runny noses,

sneezing, red eyes and skin rash, and visitors to the mansion had

complained about the air quality. Around August, the Easleys were

forced to move temporarily to a house across the street.

Cobb said that the work was done about Jan. 8 and that the Easleys

moved back without fanfare or announcement soon afterward. Sherri

, a spokeswoman for Easley, said that there had been no house-

warming events and no important visitors since the house reopened.

Known formally as the Executive Mansion, the house is about 115

years old. A Web site of the N.C. Office of Archives and History

describes the mansion as " one of the state's finest examples of the

Queen Anne style of n architecture. "

Preservationists did get at least one reward from the renovation: a

photograph of Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and .

" It was taken back when they first landed on the moon, " Cobb

said. " I guess they gave each state a picture of the three

astronauts, and they all signed it, and we found it in the wall. "

Cobb said that the photograph was given to the N.C. Department of

Cultural Resources.

• Ingram can be reached in Raleigh at (919) 833-9916 or at

dingram@...