More than a coat of paint: Governors Club announces ‘complete renovation’

Members, get ready: The Governors Club needs a refresh.

The venerable Tallahassee social institution announced a capital campaign for a “complete renovation,” with a kickoff event set for May 15 at 5:30 p.m., offering “a sneak peek of the redesign.”

The “Interior Enhancement Project” is necessary, the club said in a letter, because “maintaining the facilities has become more challenging.”

The reno will “touch on all areas of the main Clubhouse, providing beautifully upgraded aesthetics and new furnishings,” it said.

Bozeman Club & Corporate Interiors of Atlanta was chosen as the interior design team.

The 37-year-old club has long been a refuge for lawyers, lobbyists and lawmakers, especially during committee weeks and legislative sessions.

The house rules generally forbid members of the press from entering and its membership list is a secret, though the club disclosed a couple of years ago that it had 1,050 members.

The building, at 202-1/2 S. Adams St., was built in 1926 to be a Masonic Lodge, according to its website.

After a time it became an Odd Fellows hall, and the Governors Club later took over the building. It opened in 1982, where it has been continuously operating since.

The club was successful in extending its lease with the Odd Fellows through 2051, making membership secure for the next three decades.

The most recent Club construction project? The addition of the patio outside the front door, on the corner of College Avenue and Adams Street.

So how much will a total inside renovation cost, you wonder? You’ll find out.