Texas governor elect Greg Abbott will soon move into a mansion built 134 years before laws started requiring that public buildings be accessible to the disabled. Abbott will be Texas’ first governor to use a wheelchair. In the early morning hours on June 8, 2008 an arsonist’s hurled a Molotov cocktail into the 1856 Greek Revival-style mansion in the heart of downtown Austin. Restoring the mansion cost $25 million. The mansion retained its historic antebellum look but was upgraded with bathrooms, doors and elevators comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The governor’s office, across the street at the Capitol, is also getting a look. The Capitol building was brought up to code during a 1990 renovation, right after the federal disability act passed. But there are still accessibility problems, as state Rep. Susan King, R-Abilene, found after she broke her leg during the 2013 legislative session and struggled to get around using crutches and a wheelchair. In response to King’s concerns, the preservation board asked the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities to study the building’s ease of access. “It was a real eye opener, to be sure,” King said. “People were irritated with those of us that could not move as fast. All around it was very difficult, especially in a crowded building during session.” The biggest problem, says Chase Bearden, the coalition’s director of advocacy, is that only the Capitol’s north entrance has a ramp. The building’s south entrance is really its front door, where most events, including governors’ inaugurations, are held. “We basically have to go through the back door of the Capitol to get in,” Bearden said. “When you look at participating in advocacy, the south side is where most rallies are held, most press conferences are held.” “We basically have to go through the back door of the Capitol to get in,” Bearden said. “When you look at participating in advocacy, the south side is where most rallies are held, most press conferences are held.” As attorney general, Abbott has visited the Capitol often, and his staff has set up temporary ramps to the south entrance. The preservation board is planning to do the same whenever Abbott uses the House and Senate chamber podiums to address legislators. As for the Jan. 20 inauguration, Currens said little would change, since a ramp connecting the Capitol’s front door to the stage was typically built for the ceremonies. governing/topics/politics/texas-governors-mansion-renovated-for-handicapped-governor-elect.html
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 19:52:36 +0000
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