Gov. Jerry Brown Moving Back Into California Governor's Mansion
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Gov. Jerry Brown and his wife will soon call the old governor's mansion home.
It's been 50 years since a sitting governor called the building home. The mansion that housed 13 governors, most recently Ronald Reagan, will be home again to the Browns.
The state bought it from a local merchant for $32,500, but now it's worth a lot more.
On the corner of 15th and H streets, the 140-year-old governor's mansion is almost new again. From fresh paint and plumbing to solar panels, the historic house is getting a $2.5 million renovation.
"My mother would appreciate it," said Matt Hendley.
She worked at the mansion 50 years ago when it was a museum. It was 1967, just after the last governor who lived there moved out. Reagan said he didn't like the traffic and noise issues.
Now Brown is returning to his roots and moving back into the home where he spent countless hours studying for the bar exam while his dad was governor. He's trading in his swanky Midtown loft down the street for 15 newly furnished bedrooms and seven bathrooms.
It's plenty of space for the First Lady and their two pups—Sutter and Colusa.
The Department of General Services says preservation is part of the process.
"That was absolutely critical for us to maintain the historic aspects document. All the furniture were copied and brought to [the] storage place where they'll be kept safe," said Brian Ferguson.
If you're worried about the pricetag, taxpayers are off the hook. The upgrades are being paid with money from the sale of the previous governor's house in Carmichael.