A building at The Ridges that Ohio University officials were hoping to demolish by Halloween will stand for another two months.
The demolition date for the Beacon School, built in 1929 and previously used to house tuberculosis patients, has been extended until the end of November.
“The (Halloween target date) was too aggressive,” said Harry Wyatt, associate vice president for Facilities.
The project is part of OU’s Capital Improvement Plan and has been funded by $300,000 of in-state appropriations, according to a previous Post article.
The demolition process should take about 8-10 weeks once started, Wyatt said.
The Athens County Historical Society & Museum expressed concern over demolishing the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and requested a meeting with Wyatt.
Wyatt later planned a meeting with representatives from Risk Management and Safety as well as Legal Affairs for mid-October, said Jessica Cyders, curator and acting director of the historical society.
“There are procedures to tear down a building on the register, and we want to make sure Ohio University is doing them,” Cyders said. “They are expensive processes, but they are necessary.”
In order to tear down a historic building, representatives from the National Register of Historic Places must go through and document the building, including taking photographs and surveys in case someone would want to reconstruct the building, Cyders said.
However, there are less expensive options as opposed to demolition. Representatives from the historical society suggested bricking the building and windows to prevent trespassing but maintaining the structure, Cyders said.
“We have had numerous community members contact us and say they would be willing to restore the building,” Cyders added.
The Ridges, spanning more than 665 acres, was gifted to OU in 1988 by Ohio’s 17th General Assembly, according to a previous Post article.
“It was a vacant building when Athens was gifted The Ridges back in the ’80s,” Wyatt said. “No real use or funds have been identified to rehabilitate the building, so it has continued to fall into disrepair. The building has been vandalized, and there is severe concern that those breaking into the building could severely injure themselves.”
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