Updated: Only 9th Street astir on quiet holiday

Capitol Square in downtown Richmond is mostly empty today -- a rainy, cold holiday for the state's 100,000 employees who are off for Veterans Day.

But across the street from the Capitol, Gov-elect Bob McDonnell and the 20 or so members of his transition team are working a regular day in the former hotel that serves as the transition office. (McDonnell and his male staffers are wearing ties on a holiday. What's up with that?)

The offices are housed in the dated Ninth Street office building (which is in serious need of a renovation) that is now almost vacant except for McDonnell's employees and Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli's transition staff up one floor. McDonnell's transition office has a tiny paper sign on the door that says "Office of the Governor-elect" and a unisex bathroom (a la Ally McBeal but without the dancing babies).

The state allots about $350,000 to pay for the governor-elect's transition office. Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling's transition office receives $67,000 and Cuccinelli gets $87,000.

Update: Was it just me or did you also find it odd that the incumbent lieutenant governor receives transition money? Well, it turns out he doesn't. The $67,000 is actually reverted back to the state since Bolling doesn't need a transition office.