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CNN Live At Daybreak

Look at Another White House in Atlanta

Aired May 24, 2002 - 05:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C., of course, that is the address of the White House. Oh, but now there's another White House right here in Atlanta. And unless you look very closely, you wouldn't know the difference between it and where the president lives.

Doug Richards of our affiliate WAGA takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED MILANI, RESIDENT: And this is the dining room.

DOUG RICHARDS, REPORTER, WAGA (voice-over): Fred Milani has finally moved in to the house he just built. With six bedrooms, a dozen bathrooms and 16,000 square feet, Milani and his family will have plenty of room to spread out.

MILANI: It is cozy and roomy and very warm, and we are happy. Just two for the bottom and one for the top maybe...

RICHARDS: But Fred Milani has built more than a mere three-story mansion.

(on camera): Does the house have a name?

MILANI: White House -- Georgia White House.

RICHARDS: Mrs. Milani said she wanted columns.

MILANI: Yes, and a house with a big column. We end up with the White House. But I think mainly that God wanted we have a White House. For what purpose, I don't know.

RICHARDS (voice-over): Milani is an Iranian turned American citizen. A homebuilder himself for more than 20 years, and a devout Christian who says his home was a result of divine inspiration.

(on camera): Now it's not like the White House inside?

MILANI: No. We built it the way we want it.

RICHARDS: At the White House in Washington, the entry hallway is filled with pictures of recent presidents. In Fred Milani's entry hallway, there's a ceiling mural with pictures of Jesus and Fred Milani. Where the historic East Room would be, there's a master bedroom and bathroom with twin showerheads and Jacuzzi tub. And there is no West Wing, where the Oval Office would be. There's a driveway and a two-car garage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I kind of liked the way it looked before.

RICHARDS (voice-over): Milani's place sits in an older community. The new home has been an acquired taste for some neighbors.

DICK SPILLER, NEIGHBOR: I guess he's got probably plenty of money and just decided he wanted to spend a little of it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is kind of garish now. It's pretty large and kind of out of place.

RICHARDS (on camera): I wonder where the White House would be in place.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In Washington D.C.

RICHARDS: You do have a Truman balcony.

(voice-over): Milani says his place is a monument, not to him, but to America.

MILANI: I love this country. It's just part of me.

RICHARDS: And that house next door, it's the guest house.

In Dekalb County, Doug Richards, Fox Five News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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