Preservation of buildings

Last Thursday when I got home from our class my Ohio State Alumni magazine was in the mail waiting for me.  The alumni magazine always brings back memories of the undergrad days and I especially love to see the pictures of different parts of campus through the years.  Apparently Ohio State has decided to change their living on campus policy to require second year students to remain on campus, in dorms for another year.  This is neither here nor there to me at this point, unless one of my children go to school there it won't affect me at all.  What is troubling, more so after last weeks guest speakers, is how OSU is planning on making room for sophomores to live on campus.  

Ohio State is "divided" into a north and south campus.  The south campus dorms have all been remodeled and new dorms have been built; there aren't details as to where the dorms were built or what was removed to make room for new dorms.  The next phase of the project has already begun and it involves the north campus area.  Eleven new buildings are being planned for the fall of 2016, including nine residence halls.  In order to accommodate eleven new buildings, eleven current structures are being demolished and I believe others have already been demolished to make room.  

Among the buildings are Scott House (pictured here)

and Blackburn House, both built in 1967,  Nosker House built in 1962 and Houck House (below)

built in 1965.  The 1960s weren't known for their grand architectural style, but there are memories in those buildings; a first dorm room, a first love or any number of other firsts.  The university could easily remodel those buildings and even add onto them, if needed to accommodate additional students.  

The Ohio State University will most likely keep certain buildings for 100's of years.  Certain buildings are synonymous with the campus, Ohio Stadium, St. John Arena, the Towers, but other lesser known buildings are getting destroyed  Many buildings on campus have been remodeled and re-purposed, but it appears these eleven buildings didn't fare so well.  It's sad, the Ohio State campus is changing and someone's memories will forever be changed as well.  

The buildings will always be a part of Ohio State's history but when they're gone they will no longer be living history; they will be lost treasures to one day be found in the archives and hopefully written about and remembered fondly