Topeka ? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has moved into new, temporary quarters in the Statehouse, signaling that the next phase is about to begin in the building’s ongoing renovation.

For the next 18 months, her office will be in the north wing. Like other governors, her office had occupied a suite of rooms in the south wing.

But the space soon will be occupied with construction workers intent on upgrading mechanical systems, ripping out years’ worth of non-historical modifications and restoring the area to something of its past grandeur.

“It will be closed at the end of the month,” Statehouse Architect Barry Greis said Wednesday. “It’ll be a full renovation.”

Both the new and old offices are on the second floor.

The state expects to finish the 11-year renovation project late in 2012. The estimated cost is $285 million, though officials acknowledge inflation could push the total higher.

The work to date has added new offices in the basement and a parking garage and resulted in the restoration of the east and west wings, including the House and Senate chambers.

The last phase is a renovation of the north wing and construction of a basement-level visitors center and cafeteria.

On the second floor, the governor, part of her staff, the lieutenant governor and his staff moved into space formerly occupied by legislative committees.

In the new governor’s office, workers put up a new wall, to separate Sebelius’ private space from her Cabinet table.