Executive Mansion restoration on schedule for 2018 completion

The first extensive repairs to the Illinois Executive Mansion in decades should be completed in time for the 200th anniversary of Illinois statehood in 2018.

A private fundraising campaign through the Illinois Executive Mansion Association is approximately $1 million from a $15 million goal, Illinois’ first lady, Diana Rauner, said prior to a ceremonial groundbreaking at the mansion on Friday. Funding is sufficient, she added, to finish the work in time for the August 2018 bicentennial celebration.

“We’re close enough. We’ll get it done. We still have a year of time here, and we’ve raised almost all that it takes,” said Rauner, who added that the final phase of fundraising would include a push for small donations.

Diana and Gov. Bruce Rauner have moved to the Director’s House on the Illinois State Fairgrounds during the mansion work.

Read more: http://www.sj-r.com/news/20170602/executive-mansion-restoration-on-schedule-for-2018-completion