Former home of BGSU presidents to be demolished

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Bowling Green State University confirmed Friday it is seeking bids to demolish a house in which four of
its 11 presidents have resided.
Located at 838 E. Wooster Street just west of South College Drive, the structure was originally a kit
home from Montgomery Ward, built in 1930 and renovated in 1950.
The house has served as the home of BGSU’s Department of Popular Culture since the 1970s.
In late May the university demolished two structures directly west of the 838 address.
"I can confirm we are planning on demolishing the building," BGSU spokesperson David Kielmeyer
said Friday afternoon. "It is in poor condition and would require a substantial investment to bring
it up to being minimally acceptable."
He said the site, along with the adjacent properties where the buildings were demolished in May, is
"one of the sites being considered for a new student health center." He declined to name other
sites being considered.
The university announced earlier this month it was in discussions with Wood County Hospital to operate a
new health center within the next two years. The present University Health Center is located on Ridge
Street at Willard Drive.
Kielmeyer said Popular Culture will be moved to Shatzel Hall, where it will join the other departments
that make up the School of Cultural and Critical Studies. That move could happen in the next two weeks.

"We hope to move fairly quickly on the demolition and have it done before the start of classes (Aug.
20)," Kielmeyer said.
He said the university is proud of its heritage but officials "do not feel the house is particularly
significant. There have been many other buildings sold or demolished over the years to meet the needs of
students.
"The university is moving forward with plans to preserve and renovate University, Hanna and Moseley
halls." Kielmeyer said there is no timetable for those renovations but public and private funding
are key to those projects moving forward.
Already on the demolition list for this fall are the remaining structures of the former H.J. Heinz
factory at Ridge and Enterprise streets. That demolition will cost $135,000. The former United Christian
Fellowship complex at Ridge and Thurstin was demolished in recent weeks.
Dr. Roy Offenhauer, Dr. Frank J. Prout, Dr. Ralph W. McDonald and Dr. Ralph G. Harshman lived in the home
at 838 E. Wooster during their terms as president between 1937 and 1963.
After Harshman moved out, the home became the BGSU Alumni Center and then the Popular Culture offices.
The Alumni Center relocated to the Mileti Alumni Center on Mercer Road in the 1970s.
The first presidential home was at 725 E. Wooster St., an 1880 two-story frame farmhouse. The then
newly-founded Bowling Green Normal College purchased the home from the Wooster family, early settlers in
Wood County, in 1914. First president Homer Williams lived there until 1939.
According to a brochure titled "Presidential Residences," which the university published in
2009, the first residence was later used as to house women students, as the counseling center, the
Faculty Club and Delta Sigma Theta sorority. The home was demolished in 1973 to make way for the parking
lot and access south of McFall Center.
When William T. Jerome III was named president the university acquired an existing home at 625 Hillcrest
Drive in the Westgate subdivision. Dr. Hollis A. Moore Jr., Dr. Paul J. Olscamp, and Dr. Sidney Ribeau
were later residents. Ribeau moved into a private residence from 2002 to 2005 and later became the first
president to reside in University House at 700 S. Wintergarden Road.
University House was purchased by Bowling Green State University Foundation Inc., and given to BGSU as a
residence for the president.
Dr. Carol A. Cartwright lived in the home during her time at BGSU and it is now occupied by the
university’s 11th president, Dr. Mary Ellen Mazey.

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