HELENA — For much of his first two years in office, Gov. Greg Gianforte and his wife, Susan, will be living in a Helena home they’ve purchased on the city’s upper west side, while the governor’s mansion is remodeled, his office confirmed this week.
The 60-year-old governor’s mansion, two blocks east of the Capitol, will be undergoing an extensive renovation, with actual construction slated to begin this summer.
The project completion is scheduled for late 2022, before the commencement of the 2023 Legislature, which begins that year in January.
The Gianfortes are living in the governor’s mansion for now, his office said, while the renovation project is designed and evaluated before construction begins.
The 2019 Legislature appropriated $1.9 million for the renovation. An additional $440,000 has been requested in House Bill 5, before the current Legislature.
The 12,000-square-foot governor’s mansion was built in 1959. The renovation project includes removal of asbestos, a new roof, new mechanical and plumbing system, new electrical system, new siding and insulation and upgrade of interior finishes.
The interior of the building also will be remodeled to separate the living quarters more from its public spaces, where events are held for dignitaries and other visitors, the Department of Administration said.
MMW Architects of Missoula has the design contract; the construction contract has not yet been awarded.
