The Governor's Mansion: Ready for Utah's Second Century

U T A H P R E S E R V A T L O N

Throngs toured the newly restored mansion in July and August 1996. While admission was free, scheduled tickets were required. Most tours were "sold out" well in advance.

Above: Smoke and flames from the mid-day fire provide a somber counterpoint to the festive holiday decorations. many wondered if Utah's grandest mansion would be a total loss. Lower Left: Smoke Damage on the second story facade proved a challenge to masonry cleaners. Also, intense heat from the flames cracked some of the stone, requiring replacement. Lower Right: The circular, open staircase acted like a chimney, channeling heat and smoke up to the central dome, destroying it.

Ground zero: the charred Christmas tree.

If ever the maxim What's worth doing is worth doing well were appropriate, it would be the case of the Utah Governor's Mansion. Its construction in 1902 was a high-water mark in Utah architecture, and its recent restoration is equally exemplary. While visitors will marvel at the restoration of the three-story Chateauesque landmark, probably no one can count the hours spent deliberating and deciding how best to do the job.

Months of discovery followed the tragic fire of Dec. 15, 1993. News reports carried indelible images of smoke and flames billowing onto the second story bal-cony, leaving many Utahns believing the stately mansion had seen its final days. Questions abounded: What caused the fire? How extensive is the damage? Shouldit be restored? What will it cost? These questions-and thousands of othershave been answered now. The process was costly and complex, but the mansion's restoration, completed in July 1996, says the result is all worthwhile. "This build-ing will still be here 300 years from now,"promises Mike Jackson, project manager.

Limiting the Damage

The fire began at the base of a Christmas tree in the central hallway, where most of the fire damage occurred, but smoke and soot damage was extensive throughout the structure. Most importantly, no lives were lost. While extinguishing the fire,the Salt Lake City Fire Department took immediate steps to lessen water damage to floors and woodwork. Dams across doorways prevented water from spreading into rooms which did not have to be directly exposed to water from the department's hoses.

Within a few hours after the fire was quenched, a team was assembled representing the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) and the Divi-sion of State History. They quickly decided to call in Utah Disaster Kleenup to vacuum all the remaining water, dry out the mansion and begin cleaning all surfaces. Heat was restored to the mansion within a day, thanks to the efforts of the DFCM employees. These quick actions were thebeginning of a long effort to ensure the preservation and re-use of this important national treasure.

(CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER RIGHT) New hand-carved balustrade on grand stairway. Daniel Peterson restains cleaned mahogany panel in dining room. Temporary supports on the upper south porch await replacements for heat-damaged stones. Consulting architect Kim Hyatt's freehand drawings of original features (based on photos and extant drawings) provided a first step toward restoration. Stencil design for new paint application under review. RIGHT: The restored third-floor ballroom resumes its historic role as a premier venue for special events at the mansion.

Views of the grand hall, stairway and done after restoration. Note the "privacy glass" set in the formerly open oval skylight, providing greater separation between the public space on the main floor from the second-floor residential quarters.

Above: Local craftsman Bill Kerr of Granite Mill puts finishing touches on the second-floor mezzanine handrail. As part of the reconstruction of the balustrade (or railing) several inches were added to its original height in order to comply with safety codes. Bottom: The application of gold leafing by Evergreene Painting Studios was the final step in the intricate restoration/reconstruction of the plaster dome. A soft-bristle brush is used to press the gold leafing into the bas-relief details.

The Guiding Principles

A basic philosophy of restoration/ conservation came into focus. This philosophy emphasizes preservation of the original craftsmanship: replacing original features lost in the fire; and cleaning, repairing and restoring features that were salvageable.Over the next several weeks, a team of representatives from several state agencies set the criteria for the reconstruction. It was decided that the building was in sufficiently good condition, with enough original materials retained, that a comprehensive restoration/ conservation program was warranted. In addition, discussions continued concerning an approach which would preserve the historic integrity of the building and at the same time make the building more usable as a residence for governors and their families.

The Team of Experts

The firm of Max J. Smith and Associates was selected as the project architect, both for its experience in restoration and preservation and for its ability to deal with the special needs of a fire-damaged historic structure. Three years earlier, the firm had been the architect of record for the restoration of the fire-damaged David Keith Mansion, only a block away. Culp Construction, a company with extensive experience in historic restoration,was selected to act as construction manager for the project. Culp's recent work on the conservation/restoration of the Cathedral of the Madeleine was a deciding factor.

A construction management team was formed to meet weekly and oversee the project. Members of this committee included Rob Pett of Max J. Smith & Associates,Jeff Davis of Culp Construction, Frank Fuller of the DFCM, Wilson Martin of the Division of State History, Carl Crosby of Risk Management, and Wayne Sowers of GAB/Robins Insurance, the insurance carrier for the mansion. Mike Jackson from Culp Construction acted as project manager, filling a key position in ensuring quality work was done. As Bonnie Stevens of the Utah Arts Council says,"This project has been an extraordinary collaboration between many partners to make the building useful and functional."

First Steps

Assessing the damage to the mansion was the first step. Among the specialists brought in were Tim and Construction; Thom Gentle, an architectural conservator from Vermont; and Martin L. King of Martin Churchill Associates, Inc., in Virginia, who has extensive experience In developing processes for cleaning fire-damaged buildings. King determined that virtually all interior wall surfaces would have to be removed and interior wall cavities cleaned. Several exotic methods were used to clean these areas of caustic char, smoke and soot damage, including sponge blasting and other soft abrasive treatments; ozone generators were used to complete the combustion process.

Exterior smoke damage was most severe on the south second-level porch. A variety of cleaning methods was tested, including poultices, soft water washes and chemical washes. Finally, a soft sandblasting technique was found to be successful. While sandblasting is never appropriate for cleaning brick, its limited use on stone can be acceptable. This soft sandblasting was used only in small areas and left no visible damage.

Initially, it appeared that all wood and plaster elements in the hallway and major spaces would have to be replaced but, consistent with the original philosophy of conservation and restoration, attempts were made to clean and retain as much original material as possible. In the end significant portions of the original materials, even though damaged by soot and smoke, were restored and returned to their original location in the mansion. It was also decided that where the original materials could not be kept, accurate replacements would be installed. Woods that matched original woods were located, and millwork and carvings were completed by the best available tradespeople.

Damage to the interior of the mansion was extensive in the most decorative area, the central hallway and staircase. Many of the elaborate wood carvings were badly charred; the ornate plaster dome above the staircase was completely destroyed; and the carved newel posts and the ornate light fixtures at the bottom of the staircase required extensive restoration

Upgrading and Modernizing

As the building interior was exposed, an opportunity arose to upgrade the building's structural, mechanical and electrical systems, as well as adding such improvements as seismic bracing and a fire-suppression sprinkling system. The new electrical and communication systems included fiber optics and other modern communication connections.

In making the an appropriate residence for a governor and family, Utah's first ladies Jacalyn Smith Leavitt, Colleen Bangerter and Norma Matheson were consulted. Their suggestions came from having lived, entertained and worked i the mansion since it became the governor's residence in 1977. For visual as well as acoustic privacy, a removable wheel-cut glass interior skylight within the previously open oval was installed to separate the second floor private quarters from the first floor public rooms. Also, privacy doors and glass panels added at the second floor close off the private rooms of the first family from the public gallery. For safer access routes in case of fire, the interior was altered to provide a corridor exit from the second and third floors to the back staircase. The master suite required alteration to improve the liveability; however, every effort was made to retain the original ceiling decoration and wall partitions. In spite of these alterations, done at the highest standard, the mansion maintains its original configuration.

All of the woods necessary for the restoration, including quarter sawn white oak, crotch mahogany, prima vera and sycamore, were selected by members of the construction management team. The woodwork was milled by four Salt Lake firms: Bringard Mill, Granite Mill, Huerter Mill and Salt Lake Mill. The hand-carving, to replicate all of the destroyed crving, was done by Agrell & Thorpe, Ltd, British master carvers from California. "This is the largest wood-carving project anywhere in the world in the last 10 years," Ian Agrell says.

The replication of the magnificent dome was handled by Hayles & Howe, a Maryland firm, in association with Evergreene Painting Studios in New York. Molds of the original dome were made by taking plaster castings of the charred dome and then repairing the damaged portions. The process was repeated four times in order to make the final cast as close to the original as possible. Then the individual sections of the dome were assembled on site. Such attention to detail is a tribute to modern craftsmen.

Daniel Peterson, as well as other skilled craftsmen from Evergreene Painting Studios, applied the clear finished on the wood as well as the decorative finishing/painting techniques including glazing and stencil patterns. Thom Gentle, who handled the clearcoats, adds, "It is not uncommon to be left with a less than optimal restoration of a building but the people of Utah can be proud of this superior project." Although many original plaster moldings and trim sections were retained in place as a part of the overall conservation strategy, craftsman like Dick Cook from Berger & Associates brought their expertise to plaster

Above: The main floor parlor was restored to its 1979 configuration. The original two-room arrangement had been remodeled into a single room in 1937, then slightly modified again in 1979. Temporary display panels explained the restoration to mansion visitors during the 1996 open house.

moldings and other plasterwork throughout the mansion.

Significant stonework, including the complete replacement of damaged columns on the south porch, called for matching existing marble and limestone. Indiana limestone was selected because it has the visual appearance of the original oolitic limestone from Sanpete County but is more durable.

The Finishing Touches

Interior designer Ellie Sonntag of Sonntag Design and Fine Arts, with the assistance of Anne Morgan of Max J.Smith and Associates, worked with Daniel Peterson, the project manager for Evergreene Painting Studios, to select paint and decorative finish schemes. Their philosophy was to pay attention to the historical elements of the building and maintain integrity of design while having the interiors complement modern tastes and needs for the family of the governor and the public.

The Division of State History (Utah State Historical Society), which had occupied the building for 20 year,s made available a large collection of original furniture from the mansion as well as antiques from other collections. "We were fortunate to still have in our collection many items such as furniture and original light fixtures that have been used in the Kearns Mansion through the years," says Janet Smoak, collections curator. "We were pleased that some of these pieces could again be used in that structure." From this selection, Sonntag chose the furniture for the mansion, having done research for the project by visiting the mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. The fabrics were produced by a company specializing in the reproduction of historic fabrics. Local artist Bruce Robertson,selected by the Utah Arts Council, painted a mural depicting the harvest in Utah on the dining room walls.

In all of these areas, the underlying phi-losophy of conservation/restoration drovethe decisions. The commitment to excel-lence by all of the craftspeople, artisans andworkers on the mansion is evident in itsfinal demonstration. At the same time, themansion is a home in which the first fam-ily can live, work and entertain. With itsreopening in 1996, the event is an inad-vertent but fitting statehood centennial giftto the people of Utah.

AUTHORS:

Wilson Martin, Associate Director

DIVISION OF STATE HISTORY

Susan Holt, Cultural Resource Technician

Rob Pett, Project Architect

Max J. Smith & Associates Ellie Sonntag, Interior Design