The National Trust for Historic Preservation is begging Western Michigan University not to destroy history–its own, that of the Kalamazoo area, and that of higher education. There are four old buildings which represent the origins of the university which those who head up the school want to demolish. Here‘s an article that Mom clipped and mailed me. It was printed in the Kalamazoo Gazette on June 27, 2013.
Click here for the Kalamazoo Gazette article
Click here for the Kalamazoo Gazette article
I keep asking myself the question, “What kind of people want to destroy history?”
My family has graduated from Western Michigan University for four generations. As I explained in a previous post “Western State Normal School, Kalamazoo, Michigan: A Personal View,” my grandmother, L. Edna Mulder Zuidweg, graduated from the school when it was Western State Normal School, a teacher training school. Both my parents, my aunt, my brother, and yours truly also graduated from WMU. In addition, my husband graduated with a BBA degree, as well. And at least one member of the most recent generation–my cousin’s daughter– has graduated from Western.
Because my husband and I both got business degrees (I also majored in history and he did so in political science) in the late 70s, we spent a lot of time on the oldest section of the university–East Campus, which housed the business school.
If you follow this link you will read a good history of the old campus. They have some beautiful photos posted, too.
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP FROM THE FRIENDS OF HISTORIC EAST CAMPUS WEBSITE:
1. Be an advocate for smart adaptive re-use! Tweet, display yard signs, display bumper stickers,write letters, TELL YOUR FRIENDS and ASK THEM TO HELP! ACT NOW. Click here for Action Plan
2. Join our “cast of thousands!”
Click here for details of our quest to post pix of you holding the Save East Campus sign for Youtube
3. Click here to get your printable pix-poster for Youtube video
4. Express your concerns to WMU’s Board of Trustees [go HERE to email the Board]
5. Express your concerns to elected officials:
Governor Rick Snyder
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
https://somgovweb.state.mi.us/GovRelations/ShareOpinion.aspx
517-335-7858
State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker
mailto:SenTSchuitmaker@senate.michigan.gov
State Representative Margaret O’Brien
mailto:MargaretOBrien@house.mi.gov
State Representative Sean McCann
mailto:seanmccann@house.mi.gov
Mayor Bobby Hopewell
mailto:bobbyhopewell@borgess.com
6. Express your concerns to WMU’s Board of Trustees [go HERE to email the Board]
7. Sign a petition here
8. Write to news media in support of the FOHEC request for a moratorium and community input.
9. ASK: How much will taxpayers/students have to pay to demolish the buildings? How much will taxpayers/students have to pay to transport resulting debris to landfills? How much will taxpayers/students have to pay to pave over historic East Campus to create the proposed parking lot? How much does it all add up to?
10. ASK: How much will it cost to save the buildings and make a serious survey of ways they could be used to serve and educate students?
The Family Kalamazoo 
This issue has been pending a long time. I suspect that, as with everything the university wants to sell, raze, or re-purpose, if it waits long enough, all protesters will die. We tend to forget other people’s history.
WMU is in a difficult position in that the townsfolk feel they own it. This is because so many people living here graduated from WMU, work there, etc. But actually, it’s a state university that happens to get a lot of business and donations from townies.
The buildings in question have been allowed to run down, while at other universities, majestic old buildings are maintained for their historic and symbolic value. The symbolic value may be the university’s great past marching into the future. A sense of continuity. Most universities are proud of how long ago they were established.
Why have the East Campus buildings been allowed to run down when new buildings are built all around campus? (In fact, entire new campuses have been built.) There has been money for building, but that money may have HAD to go to other building projects because of donors’ demands.
We keep hearing from WMU that restoration and upkeep of East Campus would cost an enormous amount of money that the university does not have. This may well be true.Tuition costs skyrocket along with the president’s pay package. Moreover, the state legislature doesn’t want to spend money on higher ed. when so many of our young college graduates escape Michigan as soon as possible. Plus the conservative legislature despises and wishes to pulverize the liberal-leaning universities. Michigan universities currently welcome foreigners in droves because they pay the highest tuition.
East Campus is right next to the football stadium. Some extremely practical people might be thinking, “What a great spot for a parking lot.” Building and maintaining a parking lot is a lot cheaper than maintaining old buildings, plus people have to pay to use the lot. Perhaps the powers that be at WMU have a fantasy that WMU will be like U of M and make a ton of money through football. Dream on, WMU. The great majority of universities lose a ton of money through football. What makes WMU any different? Or does WMU want football — not a long illustrious history — to be its symbol — at any cost?
Bottom line: who is going to come up with the enormous amount of money needed to restore and maintain East Campus? Without the $$$$, the buildings will not survive. The only people in Kalamazoo with that kind of money will probably use it for something that bears their own stamp, not the university’s.
Thank you so much for your brilliant and thoughtful response. You make a lot of sense on many fronts. I’ve wondered about that football stadium . . . .
A tragic aricle and a thoughtful response. For those of who value our heritage and traditions, the paving of Paradies to make it a parkling lot is anathema to our beliefs and begs difficult questions. I feel with every brick that goes down we lose a part of who we are, and I think you are doing the right thing in your community activism to try to preserve what matters most. The Red Man and his family are with you in spirit in Michigan in this battle!
One of my favorite songs, Sheila. Yes, the paving of paradise–so true. I’m so sick of big box stores and miss all the little individualized ones. It’s mind-deadening. Thank you so much for your support!
Can’t get the link. Mom
Sent from my iPhone
Did clicking on the photograph work, Mom?
Thanks for stopping by my site. I signed your petition. My grandparents met at MU, though not WMU and if it had been their school, I’d want it saved.
Thanks so much, Mrs. P!!! Love your blog!
I know that passions are high about this topic. But, respectfully, I have a differing opinion. And yes, I am a graduate of Western and a resident of Kalamazoo Township. Western has been warning the community since at least the 1980s that they couldn’t sustain long term the support of these buildings and something had to change. The community had 30 years to rally behind Western, and help raise funds to save/renovate these buildings. Nothing happened and time is up.
Let’s not kid anyone, East Campus is a DUMP. Yes, the outside of the buildings are beautiful, but the insides are awful, nasty, terrible, and should be condemned. No one should have to work in that environment. I took classes on East Campus and the University should have been ashamed of themselves to teach students in those conditions. Personally, I’ve always thought it would make a great setting for a horror movie. Believe me, gore wouldn’t look out of place splattered on the walls.
The fact that the archives was housed on East Campus for so long is a travesty. Thank goodness, they are now getting the building they richly deserve.
Everyone talks about money and how these buildings are worth saving if only Western put the money towards this. It would cost $94 million to renovate all four buildings. $94 million dollars!!! Western doesn’t have that kind of money. And they are spending $250,000 annually in energy costs to maintain empty space! These are ludicrous numbers. Those numbers aren’t realistic for a renovation project. Those are capital campaign numbers.
I admire President Dunn for doing something about this, and not passing the buck as his predecessors have.
He’s been interviewed several times:
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/12/wmu_president_john_dunn_respon.html
http://www.mlive.com/opinion/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/05/wmu_president_john_dunn_east_h.html
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/07/what_would_it_take_to_save_eas.html
I appreciate your indepth response, Kathryn. Unfortunately, there is information that is given out to the public and there are hidden agendas. When buildings are allowed to fall into disrepair it’s often with the eye to getting rid of them. It gets people against the buildings. But if that was such an impossible job, then the National Trust for Historic Preservation and people and architecture who are helped by them would never succeed with any projects!
It’s so sad when beautiful old buildings on college campuses are allowed to fall into disrepair.
So true. Sad as anything.