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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOpportunities for Cooperation with Old Main Society 01.11.1995College Station Historic Preservation Committee Opportunities for Cooperation with Old Main Society January 11, 1995 There have been many meetings and much time spent talking about CSHPC concerns on the Texas A&M Campus. Now with the formation of Old Main Society, our committee will be able to work with a similar campus committee. Old Main Society is a student organization. We are now forming Old Main Society Foundation, which is an organization for former students, faculty, administration, Bryan - College Station residents, and friends of the University. I started an account in the Development Foundation with a donation of $500. It is called the Old Main Society Endowment. The goals of Old Main Societyu are: 1) to give students a voice in our ever - changing campus, 2) To designate and save the historic structures on our campus, 3) to improve the quality and appearance of the campus from an aesthetic and historic perspective. I think there have been many missed opportunities over the past few years. In 1988 Texas A&M turned down a major flight museum, now the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston. In retrospect, one can see that this would have had a natural de -in with the Presidential Library. We all know Bush was a Navy pilot war hero. Perhaps in the future, these two conunittees can encourage this type of development. The College Station land adjacent to the university will give the two committees many issues to work on. Old Main Society Foundation will have an organizational meeting in late February or early March. The second meeting will be Muster weekend. OLD MAIN SOCIETY January 11, 1995 College Station Historic Preservation Committee Old Main Society was formed in August of 1994 in order to give students a voice on the issues concerning the ever - changing campus and surrounding areas. The replacement of the Academic Building's windows and the impending demolition of Law, Puryear, DeWare and Downs was the driving force behind the formation of this organization. The mission statement is as follows: The Old Main Society functions to preserve, enhance, and interpret the history, integrity, architecture, character, and beauty of the campus. Old Main Society is named after the first building on campus. It was completed in 1875 on the current site of the Academic building. The original red -brick buildings are recorded in stark contrast to the modern beige -brick buildings on campus. Texas A &M has been unlucky with its architecture. Poor construction, expansive clay soils, and fire have claimed most of the original buildings. However, there are some buildings that escaped this bad luck that probably should not have been demolished. Guion Hall (1918) was condemned unstable. It was demolished in 1971. It took weeks to raze the stubborn building. The wrecking ball literally bounced off the columns generations of cadets posed before in yearbook pictures. Military Walk has lost its anchor. Rudder Theater, almost exactly the same capacity, occupies its site. I have received much enthusiasm on the DeWare & Downs issue. The Sports Rec Center (1995) will make DeWare and Downs obsolete for their current functions, but this does not mean these unique structures cannot be renovated for new uses. I was told demolition of the two buildings will cost over $600,000. Certainly we can begin to do something more positive at that price. Try to imagine DeWare gutted (with the second level completely or partially removed), connected via a wide interior hallway with Downs (the swimming pool slabbed). Now picture a beautiful restoration. DeWare is seen with its original red -brick, not pink. Vines climb the walls much as they did many years ago. The large arched windows filter light into a cavernous space worthy of honoring Aggie athletics. Maroon carpet and lounging areas fill the central area. This is Alternative A, the Aggie Sports Gallery. The space would be used for the Letterman's Association, The Twelfth Man Foundation, The Pat Olsen Collection, Athletic Archives, SWC Memorabilia (1914- 1996), and Diamond - Vision simulcast facilities for over - capacity crowds in future Big 12 sellout games. The location of the space makes it great for meeting and receptions revolving around football games. The original uses of the two buildings lend legacy and prestige to the project. P.L. Downs was extremely proud of the new natatorium. He bragged about the fact it was one foot wider than the one at the University of Texas. The Letterman's Association needs to get out of G. Rollie White. Their offices are too small, and traffic there will be dramatically reduced once the Special Events Center is built. Pat Olsen has told the former students that he would like to house his baseball memorabilia on campus. Alternative B for DeWare & Downs is a ice hockey and skating rink. Dr. Southerland said that at one time A&M had an intramural -rec hockey team that traveled to Waco to practice. Hockey is becoming more popular in the state. The Dallas Stars and the Houston Aeros are proof of this. In the Big 12, northern schools such as Nebraska and Iowa State may begin to influence the development of winter sports here. Other ideas include large offices for over 500 student organizations that currently have only cubicle space or nothing at all, dorms for students with classes on the west campus, alternative silent (solitary) study area, and locker space for students that live off - campus. One of our immediate concerns is Law (1927) and Puryear (1927). They are slated to be demolished this summer. The dorms are L- shaped mirror images of one another, forming a central courtyard. The residents often play sand volleyball there when the weather is nice. The dorms are still attractive despite their shiny aluminum windows and lack of maintenance. The famous Fish Drill Team got its start right here. There are 18 ramps total between the two dorms, each with its own number and identity. The dorms arguably have the best location on campus. In October, Old Main Society identified five options for Law and Puryear: 1) Renovate the dorms for central campus student housing. 2) Vacate and leave the dorms locked until funds are available to restore them. 3) Carefully raze the dorms and develop a remnant park. 4) Allow students to continue living in dorms in their current state. 5) Completely demolish the dorms, leaving no trace of their existence. Old Main Society does not support the last two options. Neither option requires much thought, respect, or creativity. The first three options, however, are promising. The first requires money now, while the second requires money at some future point in time. The third option would probably raise the cost of demolition. It is viable since one plan for the site is green space. The remnant park idea is roughly sketched on the next page. � - ` . � _/ 1 � ,� 1 ' ' \ ` � f 1 ,, _ ' i . \ _ .. 1 .. f . - �� � � - •/ _ ' ! yr` •, �, �.' , ,�1� l T � - -5 -� � � - - �� . t -'' ` � 1 -,gl "' _. ♦. ,\ \ ) �%. .N . �. �. �..I . ` t j -. ,_ � �' � " � Y � �. `. _ � � - � - � � �� _ _ f: 1 � \ _��,� 1, -� L .� r , } ' _ ` __ ., _ � - �, r . - __ ._ . _ . . y , � .. ; � _ -. _, .. ,, ,_ -_ _. ., .. _ ,� � , _ �, _ �; � - ; r � _ ' � > ._ -. :: . �- - _. -s It will probably cost almost half a million dollars to demolish Law and Puryear. Is this money well spent? I understand it would take 1.2 million to remedy all of the foundation and asbestos problems. To build two dorms with a total of 400 beds on the same site today would cost between 6 and 8 million dollars. Even at 4 million dollars, one can see it would be less to completely update Law and Puryear than to build new dorms. This brings into question the importance and availability of inexpensive central- campus housing at Texas A &M. Law and Puryear cheaply house students close to their classes. This is a great option for freshmen on a tight budget, especially those without cars. I imagine there will be some students that will not be able to afford Texas A &M if Law and Puryear are demolished as planned. What kind of precedent will the demolition of Law and Puryear leave for the remaining historic buildings on campus? Many prestigious universities, including Illinois, Ohio State, Harvard, and Virginia, have gone out of their way to preserve or adaptively re -use historic buildings. Renovation is viewed in the long term, with thoughts on the value of prestige and heritage. At UVA, buildings date back to the 1820's.. At Virginia's Lawn, it is a strange honor to live in Edgar Allen Poe's room. -- Perhaps current residents of Law and Puryear sometimes think of the WWII heroes that once occupied their rooms... The University of Illinois has spent millions to renovate Harker Hall for their development foundation. On the other hand, I realize that the current semester rental income for Law and Puryear will obviously not support its renovation. Raising the semester rent after renovation seems to defeat the affordability aspect of these historic dorms. At this time I understand there is little hope to save Law and Puryear. It is important to realize that this committee is not just about buildings. Old Main Society has many areas of concern, as stated in the mission statement. On the other hand, the old buildings influence the character, image, and integrity of the physical campus more than anything else. The Bush Library/Museum, the Special Events Center, and the Big 12 conference will all factor into changing the campus and it's immediate environs as we know them. Four prominent structures are slated to be razed in the mid 1990's. Four earlier structures were razed in the mid to early 1950's; Pfeuffer (1887), Austin (1888), Ross (1891), and Foster Hall (1899). There was no Old Main Society at that time to ask the administration to save the relics from another century. They were demolished as planned. I'm sure you see the parallel. Ask any Aggie today if these old buildings should have been saved forty years ago. I believe the majority would answer yes. In 2035, Old Main Society members can ask Aggies if Law, Puryear, DeWare, and Downs should have been saved. Again, I think the majority would answer yes. The problem then lies in asking those in control at the point of no return to reconsider the future implications and finality of demolishing these historic buildings. Irti gt; !Y A PV I rl. RED ILI rip". P1 M rte.7 ml_r- ILI r ILI Other Ideas: Request more communication from A &M Administration on campus plans and changes before it is too late Better and safer crossing across University Ave. from Northside dorms to Northgate Less streets through campus. I understand a pedestrian mall and park will replace Lubbock St. (Runs in front of Corps Arches Plaza past the Commons) Best use of cornerstones from original buildings (Brass plaques were stolen off these while they were in storage last year in a Hensel Park greenhouse. Certainly we can find more suitable places to store campus artifacts. I have heard these cornerstones will be used in an arrangement at the proposed Development Foundation building). Greening of unnecessary asphalt and concrete areas on campus Moving Amtrak station to proposed reconstruction of 1883 Depot across Wellborn west of the Albritton Belltower 1910 model of campus when Old Main and Mess Hall were still standing Revolving endowment to save designated buildings on campus Class Gifts designated to save historic buildings More intense landscaping Statue at Bolton Hall to mark first ever play -by -play radio college football broadcast Old Main Society platform communicated to Board of Regents, Physical Plant, Facilities and Planning, President's Office Selection of Faculty Advisory Panel Increase membership and awareness Determine feasibility of reconstructing Old Main, Ross Hall, or Gathright. Can any of the buildings from the 1800's be reconstructed in their original sites? Old Main cannot because the Academic Building is on that site. What other possibilities exist? Develop esplanades (medians) with trees ,grass, and statues on the streets bordering the campus Work for more parking (Perhaps the current administration does not know that most cars in the Mud Lot -$1.75 /day or $97 /semester- also pay for A &M parking hangers) [Note: I realize that this does not seem to fit into the current mission statement, but perhaps we can find a way.] Work for better and more reliable transportation from East to West campus - Perhaps this could be accomplished by bringing back the Interurban Trolley (1910)... College of Business relocates to the West Campus Wehner Building for the Spring 1995 semester Matching funds for class gifts A traditional world -class library (Without green and beige carpet on the walls) Cooperate with College Station to improve the aesthetics of the corridors bordering the campus. Restore Military Walk OLD MAIN SOCIETY ROSTER (As of January 8, 1995) PRESIDENT Gregory W. Keith 693 -9385 or 845 -0369 LAW & PURYEAR REMNANT PARK PROJECT VP Ben King 847 -3033 Jacob Vallo 696 -4908 Sharon Turner 776 -6479 DEWARE & DOWNS ADAPTIVE REUSE PROJECT VP Shelley McBride 693 -0739 Rami Daher 862 -2234 Kip Klein 846 -2491 PUBLIC RELATIONS VP Laura Massey 847 -1918 David Chrozist 845 -1342 Cecilia Ramirez 847 -0267 NEW CONSTRUCTION & CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS VP Nick Rodnicki 847 -2718 John Morrison 846 -8192 Heidi Ridenhour 847 -3657 FINANCE VP Jessica McBride 693 -0739 Gustavo Guido 696 -0726 John Knoff 847 -2984 STILL INTERESTED ? Holmes Gwin 693 -7990 Bryan Hunt 847 -5387 Kevin Koch 268 -7748 Kevin Nieman 847 -3225 Jesse Sanchez 847 -5887 Laura (Batt) 693 -3513 ? OLD MAIN SOCIETY FOUNDATION Student Advisor Dan MacGilvray 847 -9479 Glenn Dowling Dr. Gary Halter Nancy Volkman David Woodcock Laura Arth Bill Lancaster Mrs. Lancaster Ray Prewitt Claire Gunn 845 -7838 845 -3127 845 -1019 845 -0384 696 -2227 696 -5286 696 -5286 268 -0590 696 -5669 n ` OLD MAIN SOCIETY BUILDING CHRONOLOGY (As of January 9, 1995) OLD MAIN 1875 1912 Fire GATHRIGHT HALL 1876 1933 Razed FIVE PROF. RESIDENCES 1876 ? Razed DEPOT 1883 ? Razed PFEUFFER HALL 1887 1954 Razed AUSTIN HALL 1888 1955 Razed ASSEMBLY HALL 1889 1929 Razed PRESIDENT'S HOME 1891 1963 Fire ROSS HALL 1891 1955 Razed MECH. ENG. SHOPS 1892 1920 Fire POWER PLANT 1893 1933 Razed NATATORIUM 1894 1908 Razed INFIRMARY 1895 1916 Razed MESS HALL 1897 1911 Fire FOSTER HALL 1899 1951 Razed AGRI. & HORT. 1900 1963 Razed CHEMISTRY & VET. 1902 1929 Razed BAGLEY HALL 1904 1972 Razed VETERINARY HOSP. 1908 1934 Razed NEW NATATORIUM 1908 1934 Razed GOODWIN HALL 1908 1990 Razed SHIRLEY HOTEL 1909 NAGLE HALL 1909 Extant ANALYTICAL SERV. 1909 Extant LEGETT HALL 1911 Extant MILNER HALL 1911 Extant MITCHELL HALL 1912 1972 Razed BOLTON HALL 1912 Extant BOARD OF DIR. 1912 1979 Fire SBISA MESS HALL 1912 Extant ACADEMIC BLDG. 1914 Extant YMCA BLDG. 1914 Extant SPECIAL SERV. BLDG. 1916 Extant POWER PLANT 1917 Extant PAVILION 1917 Extant SERUM LAB 1917 1972 Razed GUION HALL 1918 1971 Razed BIZZELL HALL 1918 Extant FRANCIS HALL 1918 Extant BUTLER BLDG. 1918 Extant FERMIER HALL 1919 Extant 1996 Reconstruction Most recent demolition 1st football broadcast 1994 - Original windows lost North of Haas Difficult to demolish PSYCHOLOGY BLDG. 1920 Extant LAUNDRY BLDG. 1920 1966 Razed MILITARY SCIENCE 1920 1933 Razed THOMPSON HALL 1922 Extant ENGLISH ANNEX 1922 Extant AGRICULTURE BLDG. 1922 Extant NEW ASSEMBLY HALL 1923 1953 Razed DEWARE FIELD HOUSE 1924 Extant 1996 Demolition TRIGON 1924 Extant AGGIELAND INN 1925 1966 Razed HEATON HALL 1925 Extant KYLE FIELD 1927 Extant LAW HALL 1927 Extant Summer 1995 Demolition PURYEAR HALL 1927 Extant Summer 1995 Demolition CUSHING LIBRARY 1930 Extant Renovating for Archives HART HALL 1930 Extant WALTON HALL 1931 Extant TAES ANNEX 1932 Extant ADMIN. BLDG. 1932 Extant HALBOUTY BLDG. 1932 Extant 1972 Tower removed SCOATES HALL 1932 Extant ANIMAL IND. BLDG 1932 Extant DOWNS NATATORIUM 1932 Extant 1996 Demolition ANCHOR HALL 1936 1959 Razed UNIVERSITY POLICE 1937 Extant POST OFFICE 1938 Extant 13 CORPS DORMS 1939 Extant VP'S HOME 1939 Extant BELL BUILDING 1942 Extant MOSES 1942 Extant MOORE 1942 Extant CROCKER 1942 Extant DAVIS -GARY 1942 Extant THE GROVE 1949 Extant 18 HOLE GOLF 1950 Extant MSC 1950 Extant COKE BLDG. 1951 Extant G. ROLLIE WHITE 1954 Extant ALL FAITHS CHAPEL 1957 Extant ARCH. BLDG. C 1962 Extant PRESIDENT'S HOME 1965 Extant M 10 J ' 44 lot • s r;;k• •� Y' ... ,'++:i•` � ' � :i•.•. oaf . i �. .; j..�. , r : ' . , • '�' • • :.d. •.i: : , is h. d' is: rJ i:,'•N':.r4 : •J: .ry �.. Y ! :'�•�+!' ' -' 12 •. z � •... - '1 .':w•fY •: V ,l h:l Y, �J. '1 •: ,(: 'w. -:�• .l:,.r Sri } !..• ,, "„ {:.'!�` +, '.7 �. `+.+, �%.{'.: �. ••� .. .. ' a 7.•.. .�:•,. 'L Y '�' .t .S_ _.: '��.,.•�'�'.' 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' { ' : .•a „•„7,;+i �PRINCIPAL OF • Q 1,9 0 •i :Y • i!'a a te' � 1 R :Numbered in order of their construc"tiori •' • �.. ` ; *• ..��Main��Building' : ' '' t ;, ,., � •.;� � •' '� ;t'� �� ;:_,.'�;• `�- -' :`; .a.a� >- , ferl -:Hall � :r w , tl:t . :� ; • . J Y+?! �, }. • i viw� ;y "r"� ti {�' - . `fs4f• !.: Hall :�tt', ,- .,.j.- : .'.�.,:�. ,,' , ,.•:`. : ►:;:.,', i - '•J••. .•I` -tiff.: •�•' As •t'� ' l.'�,• i` `r ' ��- •:i ��:•.'. �'• .'t . • `);. '• x7;: , a, •!•.''. 5 sembly :.; ' ' j,i r ►''•�_ . h: si Hall•' ''' : ir;,� , t: t�,!� t,.� i' ': y,..,•i�, .. • r ' ,; >7. M echanical' - Engineering`'S�ops 'President's Home 9. • Natatorium - • t : -i a , 0.: Infirmary Mess. Hal] 12.' .Foster Hall _ [ 13• Agriculture and Horticulture Building - C a " • PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS OF 1920 Numbered, except as noted, in their order of construction 1. Academic Building Erected on site of Old Main 2. Gathright Hall 3. Pfeuffer Hall 4. Austin Hall 26. Animal Husbandry Pavilion 27. Serum Laboratory 28. Guion Hall 29. Bizzell Hall 30. Administration Building, TAES. 31. Francis Hall 32. Mechanical Engineering Building 33• Physics Building M.1 25- Power Plant, 5. Assembly Hall 6. Ross Hall 7. Mechanical Engineering Shops 8. President's Home a 9. New Natatorium Replaces first natatorium 10. Hospital Replaces old infirmary 11. Sbisa Hall Replaces old mess hall 12. Foster Hall 13. Agriculture and Horticulture Building 14.. Chemistry and Veterinary Building 15. Textile Engineering Building 16. Goodwin Hall 17. Veterinary Hospital 18. Civil Engineering Building 19. Experiment Station Building 20. Milner Hall 21. Legett Hall 22. Mitchell Hall 23. Electrical Engineering Building 24 YMCA Building 2T So to N ot t SZ I NA to oil. :26 31 9 ...... .15 th 4 it 19 3 7 3 3 s Isummo 4 im W% 23 6 .9 16 29 ..IPR;.NC'IPAL -BUILDINGS OF. -1920. cl MARKETING PLACES Attracting Investment, Industry, and Tourism to Cities, States, and Nations PHILIP KOTLER DONALD H. HAIDER IRVING REIN LFrI THE FREE PRESS A Division of Macmillan, Inc. NEW PORK Maxwell Macmillan Canada TORONTO Maxwell Macmillan International NEW YORK OXFORD SINGAPORE SYDNEY :b The Place Auditing and Strategic Market Planning Process w manufacturing has a net compet- .° R >' EXHIBIT 4 -1 aknesses nor push ortant. Instead a.: Chemainus, Canada Finds a Solution eaknesses most of -� ~ �' ets. The resultant �! . , The town of Chemainus is located on the east side of Vancouver n. Exhibit 4 -1 de- ,. Island, British Columbia, Canada. Most of its income comes from change its image. t ' „dose working in°the surrounding forest industry. As this industry puttered into decline, and a new highway skirting the town by one ile drew traffic, away,,Chemainus fell on hard times: were threats facing the ' closed, income tax was difficult to collect, and basic service began to are internal to the et eriorate. The citizens began to feel a sense of loss and inevitable fine a place oppor- ecline. 1,Inthis crisis, a`bold plan was conceived: It was decided to reno- ate Chemainus as a tourist town, using grants and loans from the ich a place has a rovince of British The plan required the cooperation stage. f the business people who would have to invest in new sidewalks, leaning u the streets, and othe tow r im rovement to make the rnia, in the 1980s.: tractive. e bold idea was to employ artists to paint five giant place with a magic . urals based on actual photographs on the town buildings depict- ispels any lingering ng: lumber industry history. They called the attraction the id many stores are hemainus Festival of Murals. The festival was a stunning suc- zg areas are crime - ess' and led to.the addition of twenty -five murals, making ng thirty in a'1L "Since the advertisement of the murals, hundreds of thousands of velopment Agency ' ounsts' have visited Chemainus and seventy new businesses have plan. The object is ' pened. e town became so vent. n addition to tounsm, e revi- e once again. The iza ion encouraged,thebuilding of a $21 million sawmill, the mak- Bums, provide new �gof a film; The Little Town that Did, and the building of a replica for senior citizens, : f the;1924 ship, The Spirit.o f Chemainus, as a goodwill ambassador o the Expo in Vancouver. All together, the scheme and partnership is inception. Local orked well for this town, and other towns request information to ner costs and a loss ttempt similar projects. fear that large real s ng the rich in high - . ourcei Karl Schutz,, "Changing. Chemainus' Image," Public Management, June elsewhere.' 986; pp. 9 -11. Interview with `Marcia Robinson; offic' `nanager of the Art. and tically every city in usiness Council of Chemainus on January, 13, 1992. alt the opinion lead - ss. The concerns of > C �� C LI D `j 7�' rim 2T r ` �� ' g v zsidered. The large �`7' LJ 's Ai" �h� . fz AA w NL :b