Threatened: University's Oldest House
By Lauren Walser | Online Only | Oct. 27, 2010
The oldest building on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus is undergoing a much-needed stabilization effort, but its future is on uncertain ground.
Built in 1870, the Mumford House was designed as a model farmhouse for the school's experimental farm, and for decades it housed the deans of the agriculture school, including Herbert W. Mumford, the house's namesake.
The National Register-listed house has been sitting vacant for more than a decade and has faced the chopping block several times throughout its history. Today, the Mumford House has chipping paint, crumbling steps, and a weakened foundation. In 2006, Landmarks Illinois listed it as one of the state's Ten Most Endangered Historic Places. At that time, there was a proposal to relocate the house to a site two miles away, but the the university's board of trustees has since voted to keep the house in its present location.
"There are currently no plans for the house," says Melvyn A. Skvarla, the campus' historic preservation officer. "No one wants the house; no one wants to use the house; there are no known uses for the house other than a private residence."
Earlier this month, construction crews removed two wings from the sides of the building, per recommendations from the university's consulting architect, Chicago-based Vinci Hamp Architects, who suggested that the house be returned to its 1870s appearance, the period of significance listed in the building's 1989 National Register nomination. When workers demolished the 1892 and 1922 additions, an old fireplace, a beveled-glass window, and historic doors were removed. The university did not contact the state historic preservation office for prior approval.
"We lost square footage, and we lost a piece of the history when they did that," says Alice Novak, chair of the Urbana Historic Preservation Commission, who feels that the additions would have been useful for future inhabitants of the house.
The university also moved forward with plans to stabilize and weatherize the building, which includes sealing the openings, attaching new siding, and repointing the brick foundation. This month, upon the recommendation of the consulting architects, the building's exterior was power-washed to remove paint.
Local preservation groups fought to halt the power-washing, saying it would worsen the condition of the aging wood, and, unless the house was painted soon after, would leave the wood exposed to the elements.
University officials argue that power-washing was a more efficient and less expensive approach to paint removal. "The guidelines are outdated and outmoded, and under current expert use, there's nothing wrong with power-washing," Skvarla says.
Today, university officials are estimating it will cost $1.5 million to fully restore the house. Because of its age, the house would need to be brought up to code if it were to be used for anything other than a residence, which means installing fire sprinklers, wheelchair ramps, and an elevator—a costly and invasive endeavor, given the age and condition of the house.
Preservationists are pleased with university's move to stabilize and weatherize the house, but the next challenge is figuring out a good use for the historic building.
"I don't think they've been very creative with coming up with other uses," says Jim Peters, Landmark Illinois' president and executive director, who serves on an advisory committee created by University Chancellor Robert Easter to oversee the Mumford House. Royce Yeater, director of the National Trust's Midwest Office, also serves on the committee. Peters notes that many campuses across the country have restored their oldest campus buildings and embraced them as a point of school pride, attracting interest from generations of alumni and generating new fundraising opportunities. "There's tremendous history in this house, and now the campus has grown all around it," he says. "It shows the very origins of this school."
For more photos, stories, and tips, subscribe to the print edition of Preservation magazine.
Subscribe to the Today's News RSS feed
Comments
Submitted by Terri Auch at: October 28, 2010
Why doesn't the university's school of architectice take this on as a community service project and get some funding from some local leaders / businesses?