America's Oldest Office Building Restored
By Margaret Foster | Online Only | Jan. 17, 2007
The Treasury Building and its neighbor, the White House
Credit: U.S. Department of the Treasury
After a decade of work, the $247 million restoration of the White House's next-door neighbor, the Treasury Building, was officially completed last week.
"The renovated Treasury is a terrific example of how government and the private sector can work together on historic preservation," First Lady Laura Bush said at the Jan. 11 ribbon-cutting ceremony. "Financed through federal appropriations and private contributions, the Treasury restoration project has completely modernized this 165-year-old compound."
Designed by Robert Mills, the Greek revival building took 33 years to build and was completed in 1869. Many wings were added, including the annex, designed by Cass Gilbert, in 1918. Andrew Johnson used the Treasury Building as his first presidential office after Lincoln's 1865 assassination, and Ulysses S. Grant's inaugural ball took place in the Cash Room in 1869. The National Historic Landmark's biggest claim to fame, though, is its image on the back of every $10 bill.
The restoration—the Treasury Building's first since the 1920s—began in 1996 after an accidental fire. While workers were repairing its roof, the building caught fire, prompting officials to decide to update its elevators and its electrical, plumbing, security, and fire-safety systems. Restoration experts stripped the elevator machinery from the West Dome, exposing its skylights, and unearthed frescoes beneath 11 layers of paint.
The Treasury Building is open for tours on Saturdays, but visitors must make reservations through a member of Congress.
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