Trustees approve demolition of 108-year-old Morrill Hall

Everyone talks about how important Morrill Hall is to MSU’s history but no one is willing to do what they can to save it? It’s hard to believe that with MSU’s knowledge and resources that the building can’t be restored. I bet if it was a sports facility, folks couldn’t move fast enough to protect it. For those of you who don’t care about Morrill Hall, think about the other cool old buildings you do care about at MSU — because I’m betting their days are numbered now, too.

My major was located at Morrill Hall and I had several classes there. One of my favorite pieces of memorabilia from MSU is a photograph of Morrill Hall that hangs in my home. To see this building be taken down is heartrending. I understand the safety concerns, but wonder if there are other steps that could be taken, or if another building, similar in outward appearance and with some of the interior pieces that set it apart could be built.

Why not put some of the money derived from Football (useless, childish) into preserving and renovating a historic building on a historic campus (useful, mature). Or redirect some of the money spent on recruiting underqualified minorities.

I loved Morrill hall, but it really did have to go. I hope that they rebuild in the same spot, with the same architectural fell, and name the new structure Morrill hall. But that building really was an accident waiting to happen. I’m sure anybody who has taken the stairs to the third floor will agree with me, I always felt like I was taking my life into my hands walking up those things.

“…citing safety hazards and costly repairs that make the facility unfit to hold faculty and staff.”

I find it very hard to believe that renovation/repair would cost more than the $36 million dollar replacement cost. That’s funny math. Any dope with a checkbook can build a new building, but a century of history is irreplaceable. Something else is going on here and it’s fishy.

No wonder I stopped donating to MSU, the money gets wasted while tuition goes up and scholarships do down!

“I find it very hard to believe that renovation/repair would cost more than the $36 million dollar (sic) replacement cost. That’s funny math.”

Ken it’s basically the same reason people get newer cars, or other things, eventually the cost to keep fixing is high enough to really warrant replacement. If you owned a 25 year old car, are you going to spend $1000 for a new engine or just get a newer car?

“I find it very hard to believe that renovation/repair would cost more than the $36 million dollar replacement cost. That’s funny math.”

What you fail to understand is the fact that these buildings are more expensive to renovate than to demolish and rebuild because there are laws that force historical buildings, such as Morrill, to be renovated using special techniques and materials in order to preserve the historical nature of the building. It is not like they can go in and use all modern materials and techniques, but there are some real cost considerations here.

Americans travel to Europe to see hundreds of centuries old architectural buildings because they are HISTORICAL. While I am not an MSU Alum, I have always loved MSU’s campus for the beauty of the old buildings and the historical role they played in shaping higher education in Michigan. All over the US, we tear down buildings to build ugly new skyscrapers and never stop to think about preserving the past.

“Why not put some of the money derived from Football (useless, childish) into preserving and renovating a historic building on a historic campus (useful, mature). Or redirect some of the money spent on recruiting underqualified minorities.”

Why does everyone think football should support the Entire University? Seems to me that Juan is not qualified to be in any school because he can’t figure the economics out on that idea.

Anyway, it’s sad they are going to tear down Morrill Hall. I wish they’d just renovate it. But then again, The parking ramp next to it puts it in shame because it looks much nicer(good job dpps)….

Now the powers at MSU have gone too far@

It was not enough to tear down 415 Willow Lane where my wife and I lived during the years that I attended MSC/MSU (I entered in 1954 and left in 1956) but now they are planning to tear down Morrill Hall where I attended my economics classes and enjoyed sharing an office with other graduate assistants

Please leave us something to remember about my years in East Lansing.

This is such sad news. When I visit East Lansing, Morrill Hall is one of my favorite places to go, and I always get a rush of memory and calm upon passing. I love this building. I feel helpless in this situation, as I understand the need to address safety and structural issues … but every professor that every inspired me was from that building, and thus tied directly to my impression of it. I know these same professors don’t die when a building does, but physical history always seems to be the first to go when progress and improvement are called upon. I wish the two could sleep in the same space.

I’ve heard a rumor about this going through campus for a few years now. Seeing that it is more than a rumor is really painful. My favorite professor from my days on campus passed away a couple years ago and now i won’t be able to walk by the building and remember him.

I wish there was a way of preserving this building that has housed students (wasn’t it one of the first women’s dorms on campus) and faculty for more than a century.

I’m a current MSU student and a lifelong Spartan fan. I’ve studied architecture at other univeristies and have worked in architecture firms (including more than one project on historical preservation). I can say that Morrill Hall could be saved, made habitable, efficent, and brought up to date with the $36 million pricetag that MSU is willing to spend to replace it.

As the wrecking ball tears down Morrill Hall, the Board of Trustees can pull out their dusty lp’s of the famous Joni Mitchell song “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got ‘till it’s gone, they pave paradise to put up a parking lot.” After Morrill Hall is demolished, will the footprint simply be an ugly, concrete parking lot? Is a parking lot prettier than a historic building.

People!! Morrill Hall has history because, according to this article, it is 108 years old. But, it is not true that it was built because of the Morrill Act. On the other hand, it has the name of the person that pushed for that Act to became reality. Also, another misconception that people has is that MSU is the product of the Morrill Act. Specifically, MSU was created on 1855, 38 years after UofM, to help Michigan farmers an was created with an law passed by the Michigan Constitution.

Morrill Hall has memories for all students. However, this building is not the same building that it was when it was constructed. As an interior design major, I spent a few hours in archives studying the building for a historical preservation project.

This building was the first dorm building on campus that was built for the exclusive use for women. It had class rooms, a gym and living quarters.

I’ll admit…one of the first things that drew me to MSU in high school was the beauty of the campus. And I’m saddened by this decision, but also understand that it is a necessity.

To those of you who want to keep it as a museum: Is that what we’re supposed to do with every building that is no longer academically functional? Eventually, we’ll run out of space for academic facilities.

Didn’t McPherson keep it around because it used to be his mother’s dorm when she went here??

As a recent History grad, its hard to let go the fond memories I have attached to Morrill and the History Department. Aside from sentimentals, what about the strong attachment to MSU’s Women’s History? Morrill was home to Michigan State’s first women and that alone should be something worth protecting. I’d put my money down for that project way before I donate to the football team.

Sure, it could be turned into a museum. With the same problems of safety, energy efficiency, and accessibility that it has right now. In order to turn it into something else, you’d have to fix all those problems.

And hey, maybe if you feel so strongly that the building should be saved, you should do something other than complaining here. Write a letter to the board. Start a petition (a real one, not an online one…). Stand outside and picket. If you really believe in your cause, DO something.

Le’t be honest, Morrill is a dump and it’s ugly to boot. Its been slowly crumbling for decades> Time to put it out of its misery. If we wait long enough there will inevitably be an accidental fire in the building and it will go up like a matchbook. Don’t be deceived by the brick exterior. It’s all wood construction, a real deathtrap. Yes, it’s old all right but doesn’t equal architectural distinction, of which it has none. Just an old, plain brick box. Tear it down.

The building is over 100 years old. With all the changes that have occured in the past 100 years, we should be grateful it lasted that long. Hopefully, they can build a beautiful new building that will last 100 years. The memories of my time at the university are not wrapped into one building. The traditions of MSU are not attached to one building. What if they kept the building around and the roof collapsed? Everyone would be commenting “I saw that coming, they should have torn it down years ago.” Keep the memories, preserve tradition, but let the building go.

Have you seen that thing? the whole building looks cruddy, not like some of the cool arcetecture such as snyder phillips hall and stuff like that, i saw tear it down and put a nicer building in its place

also football is not a waste of money or childish, obviously those who say it is havent played. Also it bring in more students and funds then most other things so dont rag on it.

“…there are laws that force historical buildings, such as Morrill, to be renovated using special techniques and materials in order to preserve the historical nature of the building. “

So laws dictate how a building is to be rennovated but it can be demolished with a snap of the finger?

This is sad.