Amherst College Pratt Field this morning
When Amherst College went about a $12.5 million major renovation of Pratt Field a couple years ago a tree as old as the athletic field itself ( circa 1891) stood in the way of that progress.
Rather than taking the simple, cheap way out -- destroying the tree and replanting a new one -- the College spent $100,000 to move the majestic Camperdown Elm 30 yards to safety.
Camperdown Elm this morning
Sure they are a private college with a decent endowment (although an Anonymous benefactor paid for most of the renovations, including the tree move) and UMass is a public University with a small endowment. But when it comes to protecting your historic heart and soul, cost is secondary.
West Experiment Station 682 North Pleasant Street this morning
West Experiment Station is one of the original buildings on campus from W-A-Y back when UMass was known as Massachusetts Agricultural College (1887). It is also highly visible located directly on North Pleasant Street, which cuts through the heart of the sprawling campus.
When I asked the UMass Facilities & Campus Services folks via their Facebook page if they were tearing down West Experiment Station I received (rather quickly) the following reply:
When I asked the UMass Facilities & Campus Services folks via their Facebook page if they were tearing down West Experiment Station I received (rather quickly) the following reply:
Demolished? No! Moved (slightly)? Yes! And this is great news for WES all around. Actually, the building isn't technically being "moved" (because the age/fragility of the mortar work won't allow us to just pick it up and plop it down); rather, it will be completely *deconstructed* and then completely *reconstructed* a couple dozen yards west and a bit south of its current location. Completely new (and deeper) foundation, brand new building systems (MEP), and about 50% more of the building wheelchair accessible, too. We're achieving this by "buddying" the renovation, especially with respect to utilities, with the Physical Sciences Building project going up just behind/north of WES. The building is also being moved in order to anchor a return of Ellis Way --the reestablishment of which is part of the Campus Master Plan.
However, Preserve UMass point man Joseph Larson is not overly happy with the situation and after the fiasco with the Trolley Stop three years ago, I can't say I blame him.
Click to enlarge/read
5 comments:
I love that UMass is preserving that wonderful building. It's also worth noting that there was an extensive tree relocation project on the campus this spring, in an effort to save the large trees near WES. I also love that UMass is preserving South College and the Old Chapel. Those buildings give the campus a lot of character.
I love that UMass has the -- something -- to hire schmucks to write things like what appear above. Kinda like how Big Tobacco STILL claims that smoking doesn't cause cancer.
The thing everyone has to understand is that UMass arrogantly considers itself above the law, exempt from even the criminal laws of the commonwealth and anyone who honestly believes that old building will remain in any context is sadly mistaken.
I don't see a rebuilt trolley station, do I?
Ed is right on this one….
ARE YOU FREAKING SERIOUS!?!?!? WHO IS IN CHARGE OVER THERE!?!?!?! You will NEVER see the West Experiment Station again. Moved "slightly"... is code for... "it's old, we want to build something new and my buddy has a construction company and I get a kick back... so go F* yourself." Is this Subbaswamy's doing? Who's letting all these buildings be destroyed or "modified" like the crummy chapel project? Uck.. SERIOUSLY considering NOT donating to the UMass Amherst Annual Fund this year or EVER again... so disappointing what's happening to my alma mater. :( :( :( :(
Hey Ed...I'm that first poster above an no I'm not being paid by UMass.
Is there a chance WES is damaged beyond salvage when it is deconstructed? Sure. But to say that the plan is for that building never to be seen again disregards two things:
1) UMass' recent efforts to preserve similarly important buildings through renovation such as Skinner Hall, South College and Old Chapel. (Old Chapel's project for some reason is being derided...)
2) If the "plan" is to simply pretend the intent is keep WES...while actually doing otherwise...that would entail 2 separate expensive design plans. The one to fool the public and the real one.
It's a real shme you're all so jaded.
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