Memorandum on Renovation of the Executive Mansion

RENOVATION OF THE EXECUTIVE MANSION Some Notable Features of the Work 8. 1 6 Since the White House has been opened for visitors again, much attention has been given to the furniture and decoration, but essential problems of an engineering and architectural nature which were encountered and solved during the course of the renovation are soldom mentioned now. The first fundamental question that confronted the Commis- sion on Renovation of the White House was whether or not the build- ing should be torn down and re-built in its entirety. The law con- templated that no changes would be made in the architectural appearance of the White House. Consequently the question was reduced to whether to demolish and remove all of the building, or only the parts that were structurally deficient with a minimum of disturbance to the parts that were sound and durable, or that could readily be made so. The best answer to those questions depended primarily upon whether or not the parts that could be preserved intact were enough to maintain the continuing identity of the building, or whether that would be lost in any event. Relative costs were important, although not necessarily determing in view of the profound sentimental and psycho- logical considerations involvedo Many other related factors required consideration to arrive at the best decisionso Even the proliminary examinations had shown that the interior ralls of the White House were general ly unsafe, and would have to be replaced. The more complete examination made possible subsequently in