When the house was damaged by a tornado in 2001, Mote said, he contemplated a major expansion but decided doing so would attract negative attention. When he announced his retirement, the foundation that fundraises on behalf of the university decided to take on the project itself.
“There’s never going to be a good time; it doesn’t matter what the economy is like,” said Brodie Remington, president of the University of Maryland College Park Foundation and a vice president at the school. “This is a good investment.”
Remington said the foundation’s trustees decided it would be easier to rip down the house and start fresh.
The “University House” is scheduled to open this fall and will have two distinct sections: One wing will contain a 4,000-square-foot private residence with four bedrooms that will cost about $2 million. The rest will be a 10,000-square-foot “events center” with a grand foyer, public living room, catering kitchen, office space, a formal dining room for small parties and a large hall that can seat 125. That section will cost $5.2 million.
Loh currently lives in a house he purchased near campus, and it’s unclear if he will relocate. Two university spokesmen declined to make him available for an interview.
“We’re not sure. That will be his choice entirely,” Remington said.“The facility is primarily for events.”
Unlike other entertaining venues, Remington said visiting the president’s house can elicit emotions similar to those felt when receiving an invitation to the White House, governor’s mansion or a friend’s home. “We informally call it the ‘power of the house,’” he said.
That power is being utilized on other campuses, too. Although many schools have historic homes that have sheltered a long line of presidents, others created that space more recently. Johns Hopkins University reopened its president’s house in the mid-1990s and now requires residency in employment agreements. In 2008, George Washington University transformed its alumni club into an on-campus home for its new president, Steven Knapp. And in October, St. Mary’s College of Maryland trustees took the first step toward planning to build a president’s home.
In College Park, the university asked for demolition permission from the Maryland Board of Public Works on Wednesday, while students were still on winter break. This was the first time many people had heard about the project. The request was approved. One board member — Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) — voted against it and quizzed officials for about 15 minutes.
“What is the cost of the project?” Franchot asked during the hearing.
“Seven-point-two million dollars,” Remington told him.
“Okay, and didn’t I read recently that College Park is planning to eliminate several Division I sports?” Franchot said.
“That is correct,” Remington said, explaining that building the house will be a one-time expense that will have “a considerable return on investment” by attracting donations for the entire campus, including athletics.
“Maybe it’s the timing, maybe it’s the bad economy . . . but this just strikes me as a really unfortunate project,” Franchot said. “I guess the wrecking ball is out there, poised, but I would urge you to reconsider this, because it doesn’t look good.”
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