Olivia Arbogast
For The Post
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Ohio University's entire campus could receive a full facelift soon.
A renovation plan that once included only OU's South Green now includes the other two residential greens and numerous academic buildings.
President Roderick McDavis said OU wants to expand the renovations to include almost every part of campus.
What is exciting to me is that what started out as a singular green plan ... has now escalated to an entire university plan
and I really think that's what we needed to be talking about early on said McDavis.
The three-phase plan calls for the renovation of 36 dorms, including 19 on South Green, nine on East Green and eight on West Green.
Right now all we have is Bush Hall scheduled and approved for architectural engineering
said Christine Sheets, executive director of Residential Housing. We are currently reworking our 10-year plan
and we will meet with the Board of Trustees in June for the master plan.
McDavis estimated the residence hall renovations could cost $400 to $500 million. Administrators originally estimated the South Green renovation would cost $200 million.
These halls are in terrible shape
said Marnette Perry, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, at the January meeting.
Three of OU's 42 dorms - Lincoln, Shively and Biddle - have been renovated in the past five years. South Green's Adams Hall was constructed in 2007.
South Green's Front Four were built between 1965 and 1967. South's other dorms were completed between 1968 and 1970. None have been fully renovated since. Dorms on West Green were completed in the 1960s. East Green's dorms were built in the 1940s and 1950s.
OU's current renovation model consists of taking one dorm off-line each year, but administrators say by the time all buildings have been updated the first ones renovated will be in disrepair again.
One option for the renovations would be to take numerous buildings off-line simultaneously.
We have to think that through very carefully
McDavis said, adding that taking down too many buildings might negatively affect the university's enrollment.
Top administrators have proposed a public-private partnership for the renovation, which would let OU share or completely offload the cost of renovations. The Board of Trustees must approve any such deal.
OU plans to bring in architects and consultants to look at the structures of the buildings; some buildings may need to be gutted and redone while others may need to be demolished and rebuilt.
We certainly want to maintain the architectural design that we have on campus
McDavis said. When you walk this campus
it's one of the most picturesque in the United States
but when you go inside our buildings
we look old.
Before the final vote on the renovations, the Board of Trustees plans to tour the residence halls in June, said Katie Quaranta, OU media specialist for communications and marketing.
Some Trustees have already toured the dorms, including Trustee Sandy Anderson, who stayed on West Green during Pelotonia, a cancer fundraiser sponsored by Ohio State University.
I wish I could wave a magic wand and make all the dorms like Adams; however it will take some time
