North Campus Demolition and Restoration

Common Questions

Why is the site being demolished and restored?

RESTORATION OF THE SITE WILL AID RECRUITMENT AND IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY

The removal of Hunt Hall is part of the university’s larger goals. Post-demolition site improvements called out in the 2012 Campus Master Plan will include accessibility upgrades and improvements, vehicular access across campus from east to west, landscaping appropriate to the historic center of campus and new parking. Hunt Hall now stands empty and derelict at the front door to campus.  EOU has recently experienced multiple break-ins and vandalism to the building.  The building is a deterrent to prospective students and reflects poorly on the mission and goals of EOU.

PORTIONS OF HUNT HALL HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS

Hunt Hall is composed of four wings, constructed over time from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. The oldest portion, “A” wing has been vacant since the 1970’s because of safety concerns, egress problems and the expense of building systems repairs.  In 2014, the remaining portions of Hunt Hall were vacated for similar reasons.

HUNT HALL IS COST PROHIBITIVE TO PRESERVE

Despite its significance as the original Women’s Dorm, decades of deferred maintenance have created an irreparable state for the majority of the building.  The facility has major code compliance issues, structural problems, defunct mechanical systems, and deteriorating exterior systems. EOU has performed multiple studies over two decades, each study determining that it is not cost effective to repair Hunt Hall.  Typically, renovation is determined to be cost prohibitive when the cost to renovate approaches 70% of the cost of replacement.  Renovation costs for Hunt Hall are currently estimated to exceed 100% of replacement cost.

ACADEMIC ACCESS & SUCCESS

Hunt Hall creates a poor first impression of campus.  Its neighbor, Inlow Hall, is the first building prospective students visit when considering EOU.  Hunt Hall detracts from that experience and creates a potentially negative impact on student attraction and retention.  Removing Hunt Hall will make EOU a more attractive campus overall and will create a more comfortable and supportive environment for student success.

Why are we not renovating Hunt Hall?

• The plumbing, steam pipes and electrical systems are out of code and the building is not ADA accessible, requiring massive retrofitting.
• Unfortunately, the economics do not work out. The cost for the extensive repair and renovations exceed the cost of new construction.

Did we consider other options to demolition?

• Yes. This was not a quick or arbitrary decision–university staff and administration have looked at ways to try and save the building for well over 15 years.
• We have looked at the project from many different angles for several years—all with the intention of saving the building and seeking alternatives. Unfortunately, the cost to repair and update the building exceeds the cost of new construction.

How is EOU paying for this?

• EOU is paying for the North Campus Restoration and Hunt Hall demolition with bond funding through the State of Oregon.
• The total cost is $2.985 million dollars.
• The funds are capital construction bonds and are allocated through the legislature. They can only be used for this project and cannot be used for other expenses or to offset costs in other areas of the university.

Was this information shared with the University community?

• Of course. The Hunt Hall projects have been presented at campus meetings for several years now—funding for the project was presented in 2014 and authorized by the legislature in 2015.
• This past fall, the North Campus Restoration project was presented at an open, university-wide “University Chat.”

What will happen to the space?

• The North Campus Restoration Team of faculty, staff and students are looking at how to best restore this large segment of campus to enhance parking, walkways and restore the views of the valley and surrounding mountains.

What about residence hall space?

• After many years of low occupancy, EOU is close to capacity in its residence halls. As these trends continue, we are looking at long-term plans for adding new residence halls on campus to accommodate long-term growth.
• EOU has already remodeled Eocene Apartments to add student beds and has also developed “triples” as a lower-cost option to students.
• Residence Life and Student Affairs staff are connecting with local property owners and landlords to help expand offerings to students as well.

Where did everything stored in the building go?

• Everything that was stored in the building over the years has been reviewed by the appropriate interested parties and then moved to a new storage location, offered to regional non-profit entities, saved for a future community auction, or identified as potential recycle or waste materials.

Will the inside and outside of the building be photographed for historical significance?

• Before we move forward with abatement or demolition activities, a precise photographic record of the exterior, interiors and building details will be recorded and archived.  This is along with the four sets of construction documents associated with the hall.

How are north campus trees being protected during construction?

• EOU has put a tree protection program in place. A large part of the protection language pertains to care during construction. The protocol was derived using The International Society of Arboriculture’s Best Management Practices.
• Fencing will be utilized to protect trees. Watering and other means of care will also be involved.
• A complete site survey has been implemented and all the trees have been identified, measured and cataloged.

Will Dynamite be used to tear down Hunt Hall?

• Dynamite will not be used to tear down hunt hall.  Hunt Hall will be carefully torn down in sections.  Most of the concrete will be used as fill for the new pathways and parking.  Some of the large concrete pieces with steel on the inside will be hauled away.  The project will be doing everything they can to minimize dust.  The project is also in communication with campus events to adjust accordingly.

For more information on Hunt Hall demolition and North Campus Restoration Project, contact Luke Aldrich at 541-962-3395 or laldrich@eou.edu.