Is anything sacred in Ashland?

A number of years ago the Presbyterians in Ashland, Ohio had their own cemetery on the west side of town along Sandusky Street. As the area built up, developers found value in the property and had the bodies exhumed. The remains were then reburied in the Ashland Cemetery. A housing development was then built on the land of the old Presbyterian Cemetery.
Is anything sacred in Ashland? People tear down historic buildings and even desecrate cemeteries!
Although I have not researched this myself, this story came from a long time Ashland resident.
Save old Ashland! There is less to save every day!

The Gilbert Furniture Store - 105 West Main Street, Ashland, Ohio

I heard that someone had interest in purchasing the former Gilbert Furniture Store at 105 West Main Street in downtown Ashland. The catch is that the interested party wanted to level the historic property. I have no primary source to confirm, but with the Salvation Army Building gone, and the Miller Building threatened on AU's campus....I have to believe there is truth in the story!

The Salvation Army Building

Two nights ago I was driving home from parent teacher conferences and got a call. A friend wanted to let me know that the Salvation Army building in Ashland had been torn down.
Over the summer I worked with a few people in town to complete a National Register of Historic Places nomination for Historic Downtown Ashland. There were literally hours that went into this nomination with hopes that it will be officially listed on the Register in the spring of 2011. When coming up with the boundary of Historic Downtown Ashland, I wanted to stretch a bit to include the Salvation Army building, a classic example of 1920's and 30's architecture. It has now gone the way of the Dodo bird.
I'm frustrated because many of us have spent hours to research and prepare the nomination. I'm aggrivated because people seem not to care about our heritage. I'm discouraged that individuals, businesses, and institutions would rather tear down buildings than let someone else attempt to restore and/or rehabilitate the building. You can't tell me that an empty lot is worth more than the actual Salvation Army building.
Millions of dollars were donated for the Salvation Army to build a new facility and yet, they couldn't wait for their old building to sell. Rediculous! What many people don't know is that the home the Salvation Army tore down to build the driveway to the new Crock Center was the home of General William Slocum of the Civil War.
I'll have to think whether or not I will be throwing any money in the red kettles this Christmas.

President Finks Spoke to the Student Senate at Ashland University

President Finks spoke to the Student Senate at Ashland University several weeks ago and told them of the decision to demolition Miller Hall. He also announced the launch of a campaign to raise $150 million "to create new buildings, programs, and scholarships." Check it out in the Collegian
http://ashlandcollegian.com/news/student_government/article_74de877e-e7ce-11df-8209-0017a4a78c22.html
If Ashland University plans to raise $150 million for new buildings, $6 million is a drop in the bucket to rehab the oldest building on the Ashland University Campus!

Oldest building on campus to be demolished over Christmas break

Posted: Thursday, October 21, 2010 9:00 am | Updated: 1:22 am, Thu Oct 21, 2010.

By Missy Loar | 0 comments

Miller Hall, the oldest building on Ashland University's campus, will be demolished over Christmas break to make way for a new academic building.

After debating the pros and cons of renovation versus demolition for two years, the Ashland University President's Cabinet voted unanimously to have the building torn down, according to President Dr. Fred Finks.

"I think the facts speak for themselves and while many would like to preserve Miller for various reasons, in the end, it just doesn't make sense," Finks said.

There are no definite plans for the new building that will eventually replace Miller on the corner of the Avenue of the Eagles and the Academic Corridor, but Finks said a new arts and humanities building is one possibility. Rick Ewing, vice president of facilities management and planning, said a new social sciences building is another idea. Both disciplines currently have classes and faculty offices located in a variety of places on campus.

"[A new building would] really pull together some departments that are spread all over campus right now, so those faculty and students have a home," Ewing said.

Although some were in favor of renovating Miller Hall to make it classroom-ready once again, it was determined that it would be too costly to renovate the inside of the building.

Built in 1923, Miller Hall was originally a library with administrative offices and a few classrooms. Since then, it has housed religion, history, business and science classes. However, the building has not been used since early 2007 due to the condition of the inside.

"Keeping Miller for only historical value didn't make sense," Finks said. "The building would have to be gutted completely inside, an elevator would have to be added to the building and renovation costs are staggering when compared to new construction."

Ewing agreed.

"From the outside, I think Miller is a fine historical building," he said. "I really appreciate the architecture of its form."

Renovating the inside of Miller Hall, however, would have cost an estimated $6 million, he said. That estimate is from 2003, though, and could be higher today.

The estimate only covered enough renovations to make the building operational, Ewing added. Preparing Miller to meet current university needs - such as updating classrooms and adding on to the building - could cost even more.

"It's always a gamble," Ewing said. "To put renovation money into a facility that almost meets the needs versus putting money into something that exactly meets our needs... [Demolishing Miller] is a more cost efficient use of university dollars."

Just making the building operational would require replacing the electrical system and the heating system - which currently includes the only steam boiler on campus, according to Ewing.

"The risk is going up exponentially every year we try to use [the boiler]," he said.

Last year, Facilities Management and Planning spent $2,000 to repair the boiler after it broke down, but the fix was only temporary, Ewing said.

Problems like the aging steam boiler are the main reason Miller Hall will be demolished despite its historical value, according to Finks.

"I believe in preservation whenever practical and possible," he said.

The water system, roof and foundation would also need repairs.

The carpet in the basement had to be torn out last year due to flooding during heavy rainstorms, according to Ewing.

Miller Hall is scheduled to be torn down in December shortly after classes end for the semester.

According to Ewing, construction of the elevator in Founders Hall should be completed around that time, allowing the crew to move from Founders straight to Miller.

Miller Hall’s fate is decided; oldest building on campus will be demolished this winter

By Missy Loar | 1 comment .Posted: Thursday, October 14, 2010 12:15 pm | Updated: 12:48 pm, Thu Oct 14, 2010.


Miller Hall will be demolished over Christmas break due to the costs and risks of renovating a building as old as Miller.

The Ashland University Cabinet voted unanimously to demolish the building, according to a campus communication email from President Dr. Fred Finks.

"This was not an easy decision," he said in the email.

The cabinet weighed its options for two years before determining that the building needed to be demolished. According to the email from Finks, renovating Miller Hall would cost between $6-8 million, while just keeping the building open this winter would cost nearly $200,000 due to the condition of the roof, foundation and heating system.

"We learned a major lesson on the renovation of Kettering with the added cost, and we still have areas of the old building needing renovation," Finks said in the email, adding that there are often unforeseen issues when renovating old buildings.

The demolition of Miller Hall would also free up space along the Academic Corridor, where AU's strategic plan calls for the eventual construction of a new arts and humanities building. Currently, arts and humanities classes are spread across campus instead of united in one building like many of the colleges.

Finks also addressed the issue of Miller's historical value in the campus communication email.

"There is a historical sentiment with Miller as the oldest building on campus," he said. "We intend to keep the keystone, cupola (if salvageable) and other pieces that could be used in a new building on that site."

The cabinet had unanimous support from the Board of Trustees Finance and Facilities Committee, Finks said.


Comment
au1974grad posted at 12:07 pm on Tue, Oct 19, 2010

So even back in the early 70's Miller Hall was a surprising place to have to take Business classes. Here we have Dr. Lucille Ford, daughter of the owner of Myers Pump. She basically grew up on campus since her home was right across the street. That home had been donated to the college/university by then. She taught Honors classes in Economics to Freshmen in the basement of her girlhood home and then went across the street to her offices in Miller where she was Head of Business and Economics Department. Later she would run for Leutenant Governor of the State of Ohio. Well, she is a graduate of Stephens College you know. She has a brain on top of her shoulders.

Miller Hall. Indirect lighting for four years. That means incandescent light bulbs in light fixtures which reflected the light off of the ceiling and down to your desk. Give me a break. The lack of money to maintain those ivy covered walled building was evident then. Tear it down and don't think about such a time. Air conditioning probably came to the building but not then. Can you think of how much energy that building lost through the windows it had in the 70's. Those windows must have been replaced by now. Right? One of the nice things was that you could leave Miller Hall ( Business, Accounting, Economics, Religion, Geography, faculty offices) cross an entrance to a parking lot which served the Administration building and classrooms (Home Economics, English) as well as the brand new library building (1971-72 school year first year open) and get into the student center for ping pong, pool tables, broadcast television (you know 3 Cleveland stations and the public television from Cleveland), and a snack bar. From there you could walk into the Kettering Building and brave the weather, if it was raining or cold and windy, to enter the side entrance to the men's dormitory. Hey, you want a girl in your room? Only certain hours of the day. Top floor of the dorm was hot. Rooms had been divided in half with a wood partition which is where your clothes closet was. Two people to a room but the top of the wood divider had about 1/4 inch opening and when the guy next door was making love to his girl friend of the month, you knew how well they were doing. True love. How nice. So you think things are different today? Not much really has changed. One Spring a seed grew at the location of the flag pole in the quad. What grew was photographed and was on the front page of the college newspaper. Yep. Wacky tobacco was definately on campus.

Miller Hall to be destroyed? Don't forget to get a brick from the pile. The Alumni Department will ask for donations for them to send one. Used to be able to play football on the quad. We had a Spring rock concert there around 1974. Lots of bands. One of the students was working for Belkin Enterprises. He had the contacts. He was asked to pose next to the plant growing next to the American flag pole for that campus newspaper photo. Wonder what he is doing now.

Is There Hope For Ashland University's Oldest Building?

Ashland University's Miller Hall may be slated for demolition next month, but if you have read my blog entries from August, you know there are numerous possibilities. Ashland University could be eligible for a 10% tax credit of a rehab project on Miller Hall. Any income generating building constructed before 1936 is considered historic according to the US Department of Interior. If a non-profit group or institution applies for the tax credit, the credit can be sold like a bond to a business or individual. If it would cost Ashland University $6 million to renovate the building, the tax credits would equal approximately $600,000. Quite a savings! Ashland University renames buildings all the time in honor of the people who donate money. The Gill Center was originally the Garretson Home. All the homes on Center Street have been given different names as well. The Chapel now holds the name of the Millers. The new Economic and Education buildings have names associated with them, which I'm sure was because of a significant contribution to the university. I feel the same could apply for a rehab project of the Miller building. So where could this mystery donor come from? My suggestion would be to have the Ashbrook Center and the Master of American History and Government take over the building. The Ashbrook Center could expand their program and bring in more students, thus bringing in more capital to the University. The Center also has many political contacts who I'm sure could be interested in donating to the rehabilitation of the building.

University's oldest building set for demolition

By COURTNEY ALBON

T-G Staff Writer

Ashland University in December will tear down its oldest building due to costs related to maintenance and renovations.

AU president Frederick Finks said the university cabinet in early October voted to raze 88-year-old Miller Hall, a decision that was difficult, but necessary.

"There are a number of reasons we came to this decision," Finks said. "Old buildings are hard to remodel ... and to tear it down and build new is cheaper."

He said the university learned the difficulty in remodeling older buildings when it remodeled Kettering Science Center in 2006.

Renovating Miller Hall would cost upward of $6 million and maintaining the building in its current state would cost about $200,000 this winter alone, Finks said.

Also, as part of the university's strategic plan, Finks said it is looking to relocate and consolidate its arts and humanities classes and Miller Hall is too small to accommodate the school's needs.

The plan is to raze the building mid-December during winter break, but a definitive timeline is pending.

On-campus response minimal

For a campus about to lose its oldest-standing building, the AU community has been pretty quiet about the decision to eliminate Miller Hall. Perhaps it's because it hasn't been used for academics since before today's seniors were freshmen or maybe it's the building's current state, but officials -- and students themselves -- say the campus is, for the most part, disinterested.

"I've had one letter from an alumni," Finks said. "No individuals from campus, since the decision was announced, have expressed any concern."

Kyle Kanaga, in his fifth year at AU, wasn't sure where Miller Hall was located when first asked about the building's recently-decided fate. When he made the connection and realized he'd taken a few classes in the building his freshman year, he simply shrugged his shoulders.

"It doesn't really matter," Kanaga said. "It really doesn't affect me."

Senior Jimmy Hoppel said he thinks that's the approach a lot of students take. The building isn't really central to the campus' function, Hoppel said, and most students haven't even used it.

Hoppel himself is neutral.

"I guess I can understand why some people are concerned they're tearing down the oldest building on campus. I guess I can see the concern. But also, it's not being used, and the cost to make it useful is too much," Hoppel said. "I understand both sides."

As AU's archivist, David Roepke said he has a natural interest in preserving history and is sad to see the building go, though he understands the financial demands of dated buildings. When he heard word the university cabinet was considering demolition, Roepke said he made an effort to swing their decision the other way.

"I had been working with administration to find a way to save the building, finding other opportunities. I guess they decided to go in a different direction," Roepke said. "It's a connection to the past. ... I'm sad to see it go, but I do understand."

Ashland County resident historian and Ashland College alumnus Betty Plank said she, too, was sad to hear of Miller Hall's fate.

"When I went to Ashland College, it was one of four buildings on campus. I'm sad to see what was the last of the four going down," said Plank, a 1945 graduate. "After I heard what it would cost to repair it and bring it up to the point that it could be used, I could understand why it was necessary to tear it down."

Plank said she's not sure why the decision has slipped under local preservationists' radar, noting there seems to be much less interest in saving Miller Hall than there has been for buildings past.

"It seems we tear down a lot in this town," Plank said.

Finks said he understands the importance of preserving an institution's history, but said when it comes to retention and future growth, it's new facilities that attract students.

"How do you remodel to keep the quality of life for students?" Finks said. "Our (newest facilities) are some of the most popular places on campus.

Hall has served many functions

Built in 1922, Miller Hall originally was designed to serve multiple purposes -- housing administrative offices and classrooms on its main floor, science labs in its basement and a library on its third floor, Roepke said. Until 1958, the building also housed the seminary which, at that time, was comprised of a single classroom.

"The intention was that it would be an administrative building and then have four or five classrooms," Roepke said.

The building's architect, Vernon Redding of Mansfield, designed several other Ashland County buildings, including Lincoln, Grant Street and Arthur Street schools, Ashland Middle School, Ashland County Courthouse and the original county home, Roepke said.

During Kettering Science Center's renovation in 2006, Miller Hall housed science classes, but hasn't been used for academic classes since. University archives currently fills the building, which also serves as storage space for furniture, equipment and supplies.

n Courtney Albon can be reached at 419-281-0581, ext. 243, or calbon@times-gazette.com.