Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation

Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation (2005), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Geneva College - report to the Getty (PDF) 46.2MB

Allegheny College - report to the Getty (PDF) 88MB

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania - report to the Getty (PDF) 57.4MB

Grove City College - report to the Getty (PDF) 67MB

In a novel approach to campus heritage planning at small colleges, the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation will develop preservation plans for four institutions in Western Pennsylvania: Allegheny College, Geneva College, Grove City College, and Slippery Rock University. The four schools, located within 100 miles of Pittsburgh, exhibit a range of campus planning, academic buildings, and landscapes, that represent American architectural history both nationally and locally. Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation will coordinate a team that will assess 40 historic buildings on the four campuses, and create preservation plans for each school.

Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation received a Getty grant in 2005 for $185,000 to support campus heritage planning.

Allegheny College

Historic Designation(s): Ruter Hall (National Register of Historic Places); Bentley Hall (National Register of Historic Places and Historic American Building Survey).

Report Summary

Purpose: In the second of two Campus Heritage Grants, PHLF turned to a group of four schools (California University of Pennsylvania, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Seton Hill University, and Washington & Jefferson College) to develop appropriate and relevant preservation plans for each campus. These plans followed a template developed and coordinated by PHLF that resulted in recommendations for the preservation, conservation, and continued use of historic buildings and landscapes at each site.

Historic Designation(s): Administration Building (John McMillan Hall), Washington & Jefferson College (National Register of Historic Places and Historic American Buildings Survey).

Planning Process: Each institution formed teams that worked collaboratively. Specialists included representatives from real estate and development, property and construction, history and architectural history, architectural and landscape design, preservation, and college and university staff (including administration, engineering and facilities, public relations, communications, library, arboretum, selected academic departments, and student services). Students were also represented in some teams.

Outcomes—Products: Each of the four institutions, aided by PHLF, produced a preservation plan. These plans identify and review historic buildings and landscapes, offer individual and immediate recommendations regarding preservation and maintenance, present histories and surveys of the core areas, and include profiles of the architects and architectural firms associated with resepective campus developments over time.

In addition, California University of Pennsylvania published an article about their efforts. Student teams from Seton Hill University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania also produced articles. Students at Washington & Jefferson College carried out radio interviews concerning the project.

Outcomes—Strategies and Goals for the Future: All four institutions hope that any changes or additions to their core campus areas will be subject to formal review. PHLF and Seton Hill University created a preservation fund, with each of the four institutions pledging $51,000 for three years. Two institutions of that group are working to solicit additional funds. California University of Pennsylvania and Seton Hill University hope to pursue designation of their historic districts in the National Register of Historic Places, which would formalize recognition of these significant historic areas and would assist in future fundraising for historic building and landscape restoration. At Washington & Jefferson College, the town and college have made a commitment to restore and adaptively reuse the historic train station in Washington, Pennsylvania.