Florida governor’s mansion set to get $20 million makeover

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) - Florida’s governor’s mansion is about to get a $20 million makeover. State documents show they plan to preserve the historic look, but make some serious interior upgrades. The renovation is set to begin in earnest early next year, just as Governor-elect Byron Donalds is set to take office. Bob Halladay, president of Tallahassee’s historical society, supports the renovations, even at the $20 million price tag.“I mean, they will restore and they will update and they will do the governor’s mansion,” Halladay said. “It needs to be done. I hope it doesn’t take too long. I do think the Governor-elect Donalds, I do think it would be good for him and for the community for him to actually spend as much time as he can here.”Changes to the governor’s mansion have not been without controversy. The nearby Gladstone House was torn down for security reasons in 2024, a move the historical society opposed at the time.Florida politics: “The historic