Kicking the roof can
Friday, May 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Roof repairs on the Executive Mansion would be hugely expensive and therefore potentially politically embarrassing for the governor, especially since he whacked legislators so hard for their expensive Statehouse remodeling program several months ago. So, repairs will be deferred into the future…
The Executive Mansion roof is leaking so badly that the third floor has been closed to the public and furniture from two historic bedrooms has been moved to storage to keep it safe from water damage.
However, officials in Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration say there are no plans at this time to repair the leaks, even though they acknowledge there has been some damage to ceilings and walls.
“The maintenance will be deferred for the present time,” Quinn spokesman Dave Blanchette said. “It is not an ideal situation.”
Mansion curator Dave Bourland blamed the leaks on the harsh winter and the mansion roof that is 44 years old. […]
“The water’s coming through the ceiling,” Bourland said. “So there’s plaster falling down. That’s why I’ve got some plastic on the floor and some buckets there. It’s one of those things that came upon us pretty quick.”
Discuss.
- downstate demo - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:13 am:
Sounds like everything in Illinois government.
- I'm New Here - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:13 am:
The roof’s caving in and there’s nothing the Governor can do about it.
I have a feeling this campaign is going to be full of fun symbolism.
- Montrose - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:16 am:
Fix the roof. Really? We are politicizing roof repair? It is just going to keep getting more expensive. Don’t gild the roof and encrust it with jewels, just stop the leaking. This is the poster child pr-led decision making stupidity.
- Anonymous - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:16 am:
Looks to me another case of Illinois politicians putting politics ahead of common sense. If there is already “damage to ceilings and walls” because
“water’s coming through the ceiling” it will probably only get worse. In the long run the cost, measured in dollars, will become worse. Looks to me to be another case short term political thinking with long term negatives for the pocketbook of the taxpayer.
- Wondering - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:18 am:
Pathetic. Fix the damn roof.
- anonymoose - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:19 am:
That is some swift government thinking….defer essential repairs so there will be even more damage and even more expensive repair work….
I know - maybe it becomes cheaper when you knock the water saturated mansion structure down, use the basement as a “swimming hole” and bring in a double-wide trailer for the Gov’s house.
- downstate commissioner - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:20 am:
Remodeling is one thing, a roof is another: depending on the type of roof construction, a roof job should be pretty straight forward- tear off the old roof, install the new one; allow for the various roof vents and installations and gutters. Pretty much a per-square job; should be basically a standard state bid, or even a no-bid situation, if a roofer has done acceptable work for the state in the past.
Again, roof repair should not be put off, even if the plan is to sell the building…
- Jorge - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:21 am:
Just vote for Bruce. He’ll pay for it from his piggy bank.
- Enemy of the State - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:21 am:
I bet Rauner could rent the state a new house. Maybe a different one for each month.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:22 am:
Illinois is to the Cubs what the Governor’s Mansion is to Wrigley Field.
- OneMan - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:23 am:
So did they have to move the underwear drawer?
- ArmyMan - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:23 am:
Fix it now before it gets worse and thus more expensive to fix. No reasonable person could deem this frivolous or unnecessary. Granted, some people will still try to spin it that way.
- Southern Illinois Voter - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:25 am:
Fix the roof. The longer they wait the more expensive the whole project will be. I’m with Downstate Demo, I’m New Here & Wondering.
- 4 percent - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:26 am:
It’s embarrassing and shameful that Governors Quinn and Blagojevich did nothing for the upkeep of the mansion. I understand the political perception that the state’s finances are bad and the Governor doesn’t live in the mansion. However, it is used for hundreds of events annually and it IS the executive mansion with treasured artifacts and history. When you go there and see it up close, its pathetic. Fix the thing and spend the money.
- Obamas Puppy - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:26 am:
Bourland does an unbelievable job with a building that is literally crumbling around him. Oh God forbid IPI might get a couple Facebook posts with some snarky 5th grade banter if we fix the roof. Now that is pathetic.
- Wensicia - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:30 am:
I’m sure Bruce Rauner will be happy to make a private donation to repair the roof. After all, he’s planning on taking up residence next January.
- Shemp - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:31 am:
Pure genius.
- Arizona Bob - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:31 am:
So they have money to spend $10 million renovating a privately owned theater in Chicago, spend $31 billion, much of it unnecessary “pork” in a capital program boondoggle, but we can’t afford a hundred grand to take care of leakage problem that likely will cost several hundred thousand for mold remediation by the end of the year.
That’s certainly a microcosm of the Quinn administration decision making process at its most revealing.
This guy’s got to go, even if Illinoisans are forced to deal with a less than ideal Rauner livnig in “Illinois Waterfall mansion”!
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:32 am:
Deferring the repair is going to cause more damage to other structures and thus increase the cost to fix all of it. It is cheaper in the long run to just fix it now rather than waiting.
- Anonymous - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:33 am:
Perhaps the Governor spent the roof maintenance budget on other stuff… Maybe The Governor should pay for roof maintenance out of his own pocket like the retirees have to pay for the shortfall on the pension funds
- OurMagician - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:33 am:
Ignoring the problem surely will make it better….
- Almost the Weekend - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:35 am:
Just like the backlog of bills, kicking the can down the road.
- Gator - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:37 am:
At least the mansion has the dandelion outbreak under control.
- Tom Joad - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:38 am:
Stick an appropriation in the budget today and get it over with. Don’t we have a fund for Government building repair? Use some common sense.
- Nearly Normal - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:41 am:
Patching is out of the question. This is not a simple re-roofing job due to the size and style of roof. I would imagine that a lot of the wood under the shingles will need to be replaced and the moisture abated that is in the attic. Walls and floors will have to be redone and possibly ceilings on the second floor.
So sad to let this happen. Could there be anyone out there with $$ willing to take this on. This project may require a foundation to solicit the funds.
Wikipedia states that this is one of three of the oldest continuously used governor’s mansions in the country. A renovation had been proposed in 2011 by Quinn but was deferred.
- Ahoy! - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:44 am:
He can fix it without embarrassment, it’s not like he lives there.
- Toure's Latte - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:45 am:
Gaaaahhh! Who makes these boneheaded decisions? Replace the roof with one that won’t leak, dry everything out and pretreat for mold.
Quit making mailers for Rauner’s campaign.
- Walker - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:46 am:
Arizona Bob’s got it today.
Better to renovate a decrepit theater unlikely to succeed commercially, than the gov’s mansion used for public events.
Give the mansion to a non-profit foundation, and give the foundation a grant, if that’s what it takes.
- Commonsense in Illinois - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:46 am:
Hmmm…the last time the Mansion was in such a state of dis-repair, Dan Walker was Governor. Coincidence?
- Midstate Indy - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:51 am:
To the Gov: Its my house, too. Fix it.
- OneMan - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:51 am:
perhaps the best metaphor for how we got into this pension situation…
- Both Sides Now - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:53 am:
Tack it onto the Capital bill. Fixing the roof is necessary and creates/retains jobs. No brainer.
- Not Five Thirty Eight - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:55 am:
Aren’t GOPs seeking private donations for a Reagan statue?
Find a union roofer willing to donate the labor and material, or create a foundation to gather donations for such. Either way that gets the job done while keeping it ‘off’ the spin radar.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:59 am:
To the Post,
I am of the belief, be it the historical Capitol, or the Mansion, if it’s important enough to have, it’s important enough to preserve.
It’s a roof. If Rauner or the GOP want to let these building fall in disrepair, or decide to make hay on it, at what point do we find the worth of preserving our history through architecture?
There is a rich irony, and I am not ignorant to that, nor am I ignorant to the financials of Illinois and the optics of spending monies to repair it. I get it. But like when your own house has a leaky roof, you do your best to fix it now, to offset holes and a new roof, and if you do need a new roof, you get it, because a new roof is cheaper than losing the building.
- in absentia - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:04 am:
Maybe without any approval by the Governor, the office of the state architect can sneak over there (if it’s okay with Mapes) and get the project done. (HEAVY SNARK)
- LisleMike - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:07 am:
I amazed at some of the snarky comments directed towards Republican comments not even made.
Fact is, as OW properly points out, if it is worth having, it is worth keeping. The whole delay shows the quagmire of fear to make the simple and necessary decisions based on politics.
Why not wait for the IPI comments and lambaste them at that time instead of pre-emptive snarks?
C’mon, you guys are better than that. I don’t agree with many comments but I read and digest them as they are most often thoughtfully laid out.
- in absentia - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:11 am:
LisleMike: Seriously, the process for state projects is twisted. Throw in the fact it’s the governor’s mansion and it’s twisted + convoluted and politically sensitive. OW is indeed correct; maintaining state facilities - all of them - should be a top priority. Deferred maintenance costs more than most people know.
- A guy... - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:14 am:
I’m a GOPer. Fix the damn roof. Put whatever the anticipated expenses are into the $1.1B capital bill they’re about to pass and get it done. Preserving the building for safety purposes isn’t pork. They could run into a serious mold problem with this. Fix it. Be non-partisan about it.
- VanillaMan - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:19 am:
The problem here is politics. Quinn decided to embarrass the legislators while millions were being spent on renovating the Dome. He did this to score a few pathetic news-cycle points for a few weeks. Quinn felt a need to be that gadfly blowhard news hound to remind everyone that he was still governor at that time, and almost relevant.
Since he spends about as much time in the Mansion as any other Chicagoan governor, he seemed to have been unaware that the Mansion was in worse shape than the Dome. Had he cared about the official gubernatorial residence in Springfield, along with its historical importance to all, Quinn probably would have thought twice before criticizing the Dome renovations.
But that would require forethought from a man we’ve discovered is a tad wanting in that respect, right? Quinn played politics without considering his political stand on the relevant facts. That happens.
This is where we are supposed to see a grown man humbly and publically do a switch on a previously held stand, based on some kind of enlightened evolution so many of his supporters claim is lacking in his political opposition - at least when the issue was making the income tax permanent. This was Quinn’s chance to demonstrate that ability.
So, we are waiting Mr. Governor….
Fact is, it appears through this issue, that our current governor can’t see beyond a year regarding our state’s fiscal needs and priorities. Maybe even less, if he can spin the bad away by claiming that he is powerless.
This is a no-brainer. Sadly, perhaps we are discovering that even a no-brainer decision may be too much for our Soy Boy, Pat Quinn.
- Anon. - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:20 am:
The roof must look ok. Otherwise, a governor who has shown himself to be concerned only with appearances and not substance, would be fixing it.
- ChrisB - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:21 am:
Wow, talk about terrible optics either way. The mailers write themselves.
If he fixes it: “Gov. Quinn spent taxpayer money to fix up his mansion…”
If he lets the roof rot: “Gov. Quinn can’t even get his own house in order. How is can you trust him to lead Illinois…Leaky Roofs, leaky budgets…”
Fix it. Talk about being penny wise and pound foolish.
- Mason born - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:22 am:
There are two things you never defer maintenance on your Roof and Your Foundation. Ironically i think Wensica had a brilliant suggestion. Bruce should (i am actually being serious) hire a contractor to fix it out of his personal funds. Offer the work as a donation to the State. Be interesting to see how Quinn turns it down.
- Jimbo - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:28 am:
TII. This is Illinois. The sad thing is that although this is being delayed ostensibly by the politics of it, even if it were a low profile state building they would wait until it was an emergency before doing anything. We haven’t funded deferred maintenance in at least a decade. Capital projects are delayed or unfunded and the state is left doing emergency projects at triple the cost whenever a roof that was bad eventually fails catastrophically.
- Bigtwich - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:34 am:
If you read the SJR article it states,
“Bourland said an attempt is underway to find some money at the Capital Development Board that could be used to make emergency repairs to the roof.
- Pius - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:35 am:
I concur that the roof should be fixed asap. Does anyone know what kind of roof it is? I know that that flat areas are graveled and I assume that there is a membrane beneath it. Anyone know if the sloped areas are slate or something else? Slate is more expensive but does last longer (with proper maintenance of course).
- Alexander Cut the Knot - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:35 am:
Let’s auction off the Executive Mansion naming rights to raise money for repairs - seems appropriate for this State.
- ILPundit - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:38 am:
Is this really all that different from how Quinn maintains his personal home in Chicago?
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140522/montclare/gov-quinns-front-yard-dandelion-forest-causes-neighbor-frustration
- Aldyth - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:42 am:
I had an issue with the doors on the capitol building that seemed to be a frivelous purchase in hard financial times. I have no problem with an expenditure that is about health, safety, or structural maintenance. Pay now or pay more later. That is kind of a theme in Illinois to end up paying more later. Fix the roof.
- OneMan - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:43 am:
I like the sound of OneMansion
- Johnnie F. - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:45 am:
Hahahaha. Sounds like our CMS managed building. No immediate plan for repair probably means the contract paperwork is sitting (or lost) in the ”purchasing process”.
- Formerpol - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:54 am:
So when we elect Rauner he can pay for the repairs out of his own pocket. Seriously!
- Chris - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:54 am:
“Pay now or pay more later. That is kind of a theme in Illinois to end up paying more later. Fix the roof.”
Bingo.
- A guy... - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:55 am:
=== Anonymous - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 9:33 am:
Perhaps the Governor spent the roof maintenance budget on other stuff… Maybe The Governor should pay for roof maintenance out of his own pocket like the retirees have to pay for the shortfall on the pension funds====
This is the dumbest thing I’ve read in a long time.
- wordslinger - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 11:00 am:
The roof! The roof! The roof leaks water! We ain’t got no money so let the….
Time to get rid of it. The mansion is an expensive, unnecessary, largely unused, abused, undemocratic anachronism.
When you’re talking decades of neglect, it’s not “deferred maintenance” anymore. It’s a money pit, and you’ll be chasing it forever.
My suggestion is to take it down and use the space for the Illinois Bicentennial Park. Nashville would be a nice model to start with.
http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/bicentennial-mall
- x ace - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 11:02 am:
Fix the Roof ? Take down the Expensive Doors ? Cops riding Harleys ? Crashing Grandstand ? The Den is Closed ? Pork ? No Pork ? ( Springfield is a confusing place)
- persecuted - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 11:14 am:
There’s probably a new one in Chicago already half built…
- Esteban - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 11:19 am:
This isn’t leadership- just more chickenship.
- Langhorne - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 11:29 am:
DUMB
Beautiful metaphor handed to rauner to bash quinn. If he can get photos, wow. If not, he can cartoon/photoshop it.
This shoulda been buried in the budget, w historical and architectural experts supporting it, no pun intended.
Quinn shoulda asked the capitol architect for help ( snark).
- steve schnorf - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 11:48 am:
Though no one is saying so, if damage is being done to the 3rd floor by roof leaks, then it’s hard to imagine that damage isn’t being done to the living quarters also
- Ken_in_Aurora - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 11:53 am:
I’m looking forward to photos showing the mansion covered in blue tarps.
- Anonymous - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 11:57 am:
First his yard in.Chicago, now the roof in Springfield, is there any residence Pat Quinn has that he actually maintains?
- FormerParatrooper - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:11 pm:
Common sense says fix our house. Fix the roof now, fix it right and maintain our house. It may cost money, but it is a responsibility to maintain our public buildings.
Anyone who has done a “simple” repair knows that there may be other hidden issues. How long has the roof been leaking before it actually showed? Has mold already set in? Is there asbestos in any of the areas of the leak? Have the studs rotted? Does any other part of the structure have issues? Just a few things to think about.
- Anon. - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:28 pm:
How about we convert it into a kind of halfway house, to transition the occupants into the prison system?
- Union Man - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:31 pm:
Close it down and move the Governor to Motel 6!
- Bonsaso - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:39 pm:
Largely unoccupied for over a decade, the State decides to fix the Mansion so that it can be used as a bed and breakfast, where the legislators must stay saving the state per diem costs at local hotels.
- Just Fix The Roof Already - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:50 pm:
Based on his awesome work on the new Blue Room, you don’t want the Capitol Architect anywhere NEAR the Mansion.
The mansion balconies were already barricaded off because they’re in danger of collapsing if people walk on them. And this is the building where we welcome dignitaries and business magnates from all over the world to our State Capitol. To impress them and promote Illinois. The simple cowardice of politicians and their administrators and their inability to do what is obviously right, even in the most clear-cut cases, boggles my mind.
- Jeff Trigg - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:54 pm:
wordslinger has the right idea, although I don’t know that the lot size is big enough to much with
- Cheryl44 - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 12:54 pm:
Just tear it down. No one wants to live in it anyway.
- RetiredContractor - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:10 pm:
I’ve got it! We need a ballot measure to ask the voters whether Illinois should fix the leaking roof. Would that be a non-binding question or a constitutional amendment? (snark) What do we pay these guys/gals for?
- JustMe_JMO - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:13 pm:
Just how long has the roof was leaking and why was nothing done!
When on National Register of Historic Places are there not certain requirements for maintenance?
What does “LLINOIS EXECUTIVE MANSION ASSOCIATION” have to say on this matter.
Is there a Tarp over the bad areas?
grrrrrrrrrrrrrr
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:24 pm:
It needs to be repaired.
I plan to reside in the Mansion.
There, I said it.
- frustrated GOP - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 1:59 pm:
Wow, so it’s not just the budget, everything gets kicked down the road for someone else to do, and for it to cost more money. Of course the best idea, replace the roof before it leaks., next repair as a problem starts to develop. no, he’s going to wait till the bill gets really big, then figure out to pay for it. I was on the fence, but this is a perfect example of complete ineptness and short sided thinking.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 2:13 pm:
This perfectly summarizes Springfield in one take.
The mansion will be there long after everyone currently in Springfield is gone. It should be taken care.
But those in Springfield are so concerned with their own personal benefit that they will neglect and ignore the mansion which belongs to future generations and the entire state. Strange days.
- wordslinger - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 2:21 pm:
They’ve been kicking the can down the road on the mansion for decades. You start pouring money into that white elephant now and you’ll never stop chasing it.
I don’t see it’s utility, at all. Having a governor’s mansion (or in Illinois, two) in a democracy is an absurd extravagance in 2014.
I was all for the Dome renovations, despite the costs. That’s the seat of government, in Springfield, and it was just common sense to do it right for the long haul.
I get the feeling that for some the mansion plays into the whole anxiety of “which is the real state capital? Chicago or Springfield?”
It’s Springfield, whether there’s a governor’s mansion or not. You have the Dome, it’s a gem, and it ain’t going nowhere.
Get rid of the mansion and put that sweet location to better use promoting state history and Springfield tourism.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 2:22 pm:
I can think of two possible resolutions to this if Springfield had a healthy, functioning system and leaders had built some trust. In my fantasy world, either
A Reps assure Dems they won’t hit them on this issue and vice-versa. Many have built effective working relationships together, and this gets done in an instant. If trust remains an issue, then Reps introduce the bill and nearly everyone from both parties co-sponsors the bill in both chambers.
B People actually trust the party with a supermajority. A senior member of that party, either the Governor or Speaker, truthfully explains that this is a matter of necessity rather than politics. People believe them and trust them. This is settled in a matter of days.
- BMAN - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 2:54 pm:
Well, the roof may leak, but it certainly isn’t the biggest drip in the mansion!
- A. Nonymous - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 4:44 pm:
- OneMan - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 10:43 am:
Let’s auction off the Executive Mansion naming rights to raise money for repairs - seems appropriate for this State.
I like the sound of OneMansion
======
Rauner likes the sound of “Mansion #10″
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, May 30, 14 @ 5:08 pm:
How many roofing shingles could the bronzed doors, 300 pound chandeliers or robed “maidens” have paid for? Or the $10 million we just gave to the Uptown Theatre?
Such odd choices.