Advocacy

Columbus Landmarks Foundation Advocacy Efforts To Date:
• In March 2008, OSU featured a story on the proposed demolition of Brown Hall and Lord Hall in Facilities Monthly, the department's newsletter. In response to inquiries from several members, CLF sent OSU a letter in April 2008 expressing disappointment in the news, reminded OSU of the historical significance of the buildings, and encouraged OSU to reconsider the decision to demolish.

• Melissa Bellini, Associate Vice President of OSU's Facilities Operations and Development department, responded with a letter that stated the buildings were being demolished for safety reasons due to lack of maintenance funding, with only green space planned for their sites. The letter offered CLF the opportunity to get involved with incorporating the results of the 2005 historic buildings survey into campus planning procedures, that they would be in a position to implement in the future.

• On August 7, 2008, representatives from CLF, Heritage Ohio, Preservation Ohio and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office set up a meeting with Melissa Bellini and others from her department to discuss reversing the decision to demolish Lord and Brown Halls, historic preservation planning on the campus, and how to prevent the demolition of significant historic campus buildings in the future. Summary of discussion follows:

• CLF & company asked if the decision to demolish Lord & Brown Halls could be reversed. OSU stated that the demolition of Lord Hall and Brown Hall could not be stopped, as they were approved by previous budgets and administration.

• OSU also stated that structural instability was another reason the buildings needed to be demolished. CLF & company requested copies of documentation justifying the demolition, such as structural engineering reports, to assist in answering inquiries regarding the demolition. OSU said they would investigate, but no reports have been provided.

• CLF & company asked if the decision to demolish could be postponed and the buildings 'mothballed' until a future date when there was a plan for development on those sites, in case the existing buildings might be adapted for whatever new uses are proposed. OSU stated that this was not feasible due to an existing exorbitant deferred maintenance budget.

• CLF & company recognized OSU's effort to recycle many components of the historic buildings, but reiterated that the most sustainable decision would be to adaptively use the buildings and prevent any demolition debris from ending up in the landfill.

• CLF & company inquired about the status of adoption of the 2005 Getty-funded preservation plan. OSU said it would not be adopting the plan in its entirety, but, upon further discussion, said they would consider working preservation issues into future planning documents.

• CLF & company shared language for a 'Preservation Campus Planner' position, that OSU responded to positively, saying they could apply much of the language to a current Project Managerís job description in the department, who essentially served in this capacity.

• CLF & company proposed that OSU consider creating a community-based advisory committee to comment on future actions affecting historic buildings on campus. OSU said they would look into the possibility.

• All four preservation organizations present offered to assist with implementing any of the above suggestions.

FACILITIES CONTACT:

Melissa Bellini
OSU Facilities Operation and Development
2003 Millikin Road, #150C
Columbus, OH 43210
Tel: 614-292-0257
E-mail: bellini.4@osu.edu

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT:

E. Gordon Gee
President
205 Bricker Hall,
190 North Oval Mall,
Columbus, OH 43210

OSU BOARD OF TRUSTEES: C. Gilbert Cloyd c/o The Proctor & Gamble CO. One Proctor & Gamble Plaza Cincinnati, OH 45202	Dimon R. McFerson OSU Board of Trustees 210 Bricker Hall 190 North Oval Mall Columbus, OH 43210	Jo Ann Davidson JAD and Associates 37 W. Broad Street, Suite 970 Columbus, OH 43215
John D. Ong 230 Aurora Street Hudson, OH 44236	Douglas G. Borror Dominion Homes, Inc Corporate Headquarters 4900 Tuttle Crossing Road Dublin, OH 43016	Leslie H. Wexner 4653 Kitzmiller Road New Albany, OH 43054
Alex Shumate Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP 1300 Huntington Center 41 South High Street Columbus, OH 43215	Brian K Hicks Hicks Partners 485 Metro Place South Suite 250 Dublin, OH 43017-5332	John C. “Jack” Fisher The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Inc. 280 Plaza P. O. Box 182383 Columbus, OH 43218-2383
Robert H. Schottenstein M/I Homes 3 Easton Oval Columbus, OH 43219	Alan W. Brass ProMedica Health Systems 1801 Richards Road Toledo, OH 43607	Ronald A. Ratner Forest City Enterprises, Inc. 1100 Terminal Tower 50 Public Square Cleveland, OH 44113-2203
Algenon L. Marbley Joseph P. Kinneary U.S. Courthouse 85 Marconi Blvd. Columbus, OH 43215	Student Trustees Debra J. Van Camp Student Trustee van-camp.9@osu.edu Jason W. Marion Student Trustee marion.25@osu.edu	Walden W. Odell 2427 Tremont Road Columbus, OH 43221

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