Executive Residence (Ibica)
| Executive Residence | |
|---|---|
 Top: the northern facade with a columned portico Bottom: the southern facade with a semi-circular portico | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical, Palladian |
| Address | 100 Executive Avenue Willmington, West Monroe, Ibica |
| Current tenants | Evaline Buckley, President of Ibica and the First Family |
| Construction started | October 13, 1723 |
| Completed | November 1, 1730 |
The Executive Residence is the official residence and workplace of the president of Ibica. It is located at 100 Executive Avenue in Willmington and has been the residence of every president since the 1730's.
Because of crowding within the executive mansion itself, all work offices relocated to the newly constructed West Wing in 1900. Eight years later in 1908, the Residence expanded the West Wing and created the first Oval Office, which was eventually moved as the section was expanded. In the main mansion, the third-floor attic was converted to living quarters in 1937 by augmenting the existing hip roof with long shed dormers. A newly constructed East Wing was used as a reception area for social events; the colonnades connected the new wings. East Wing alterations were completed in 1946, creating additional office space. By 1948, the residence's load-bearing exterior walls and internal wood beams were found to be close to failure. The interior rooms were completely dismantled and a new internal load-bearing steel frame constructed inside the walls. Once this work was completed, the interior rooms were rebuilt.
The modern-day Executive Residence complex includes the Executive Residence, West Wing, East Wing, the Executive Office Building—the former State Department, which now houses offices for the president's staff and the vice president—and James House, a guest residence. The Executive Residence is made up of six stories—the Ground Floor, State Floor, Second Floor, and Third Floor, as well as a two-story basement. The property is a National Heritage Site owned by the National Park Service and is part of the President's Park.
The Executive Residence Today
Congress enacted legislation in September 1961 declaring the Executive Residence a museum. Furniture, fixtures, and decorative arts could now be declared either historic or of artistic interest by the president. This prevented them from being sold. When not in use or display at the Executive Residence, these items were to be turned over to the National Cultural Trust for preservation, study, storage, or exhibition. The Executive Residence retains the right to have these items returned.
Out of respect for the historic character of the Executive Residence, no substantive architectural changes have been made to the house since the 1930's renovation. Every presidential family has made some changes to the private quarters of the Executive Residence, but the Committee for the Preservation of the Executive Residence must approve any modifications to the State Rooms. Charged with maintaining the historical integrity of the Executive Residence, the congressionally authorized committee works with each First Family—usually represented by the first lady, the Executive Residence curator, and the chief usher—to implement the family's proposals for altering the house.
Layout and amenities
Today the group of buildings housing the presidency is known as the Executive Residence Complex. It includes the central Executive Residence flanked by the East Wing and West Wing. The Chief Usher coordinates day to day household operations. The Executive Residence includes: six stories and 55,000 ft2 (5,100 m2) of floor space, 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, twenty-eight fireplaces, eight staircases, three elevators, five full-time chefs, a tennis court, a (double-lane) bowling alley, a movie theater (officially called the First Family Theater), a jogging track, a swimming pool, and a putting green. It receives up to 30,000 visitors each week.
Executive Residence
The original residence is in the center. Two colonnades —one on the east and one on the west- now serve to connect the East and West Wings added later. The Executive Residence houses the president's dwelling, as well as rooms for ceremonies and official entertaining. The State Floor of the residence building includes the East Room, Green Room, Blue Room, Red Room, State Dining Room, Family Dining Room, Cross Hall, Entrance Hall, and Grand Staircase. The Ground Floor is made up of the Diplomatic Reception Room, Map Room, Library, the main kitchen, and other offices. The second floor family residence includes the Yellow Oval Room, East and West Sitting Halls, the Master Bedroom, President's Dining Room, the Treaty Room, and Queens' Bedroom, as well as two additional bedrooms, a smaller kitchen, and a private dressing room. The third floor consists of the Solarium, Game Room, Linen Room, a Diet Kitchen, and another sitting room (previously used as a workout room).
West Wing
The West Wing houses the president's office (the Oval Office) and offices of his senior staff, with room for about 50 employees. It also includes the Cabinet Room, where the president conducts business meetings and where the Cabinet meets, as well as the Situation Room, and the Press Briefing Room. In 2007, work was completed on renovations of the press briefing room, adding fiber optic cables and LCD screens for the display of charts and graphs.
East Wing
The East Wing, which contains additional office space, was added to the Executive Residence in 1942. Among its uses, the East Wing has intermittently housed the offices and staff of the first lady, and the Executive Residence Social Office. The East Wing was built to hide the construction of an underground bunker to be used in emergencies. The bunker has come to be known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center.
Grounds
The Executive Residence and grounds cover just over 18 acres (about 7.3 hectares).
The Cross Hall, connecting the State Dining Room and the East Room on the State Floor
Marine One prepares to land on the South Lawn, where State Arrival Ceremonies are held.
View from the south, with fountain
View from the north
Executive Residence at night, view from the north
Public access and security
The Executive Residence Complex is protected by the Ibican Secret Service and the Ibican Park Police.
ASAMS (Advanced Surface to Air Missile System) were used to guard air space over Willmington during the 2005 presidential inauguration. The same ASAMS units have since been used to protect the president and all airspace around the Residence, which is strictly prohibited to aircraft.