University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Presentation (PDF) 4.1MB

Since receiving its charter as a land-grant institution in 1867, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has grown steadily in stature and in size, and now includes over 200 buildings on almost 1400 acres. UIUC's buildings reflect the history of popular architectural styles over the last 140 years, including examples of Italianate, Neo-Classical, Arts and Crafts, and Georgian Revival. Grant funds will support the creation of a "Campus Heritage Register" (an online computerized database with detailed information on campus structures and sites)and the development of preservation maintenance guidelines.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign received a Getty grant in 2005 for $175,000 to support campus heritage planning.

Report Summary

Purpose: The UIUC campus heritage project identified three primary goals. First, it planned to produce a campus building register to serve as an online computerized database that would provide information about significant structures, sculpture, and sites. Second, it outlined the production of preservation maintenance guidelines in digital and printed form to help identify signficant buildings and landscapes and their distinctive historic features. Third, it hoped to develop an ongoing campus heritage program and thus engage students, faculty, and staff and townspeople by disseminating the content of the first two goals to the wider campus and town communities.

Historic Designation(s): Astronomical Observatory (National Historic Landmark and National Register of Historic Places), Morrow Corn Plots (National Historic Landmark), Robert Allerton Park (portion of National Historic Landmark), Illini Grove (Registered Natural Landmark). The following are also identified in the National Register of Historic Places: Altgeld Hall, Busey-Evans Hall, Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District, Harker Hall, H.E. Kenney Gymnasium, Kenny Gym Annex, Louise Freer Hall, Main Library, Mumford House, Natural History Building, Smith Memorial Hall, and 1108 West Stoughton Street.

Planning Process: The UIUC project assembled a team of specialists form the institution’s facilities and services in the planning division department, architects, landscape architects, and web and database developers. The project reviewed earlier documents, such as a prior preservation plan (and associated amendments), a preservation index rating system developed in a prior preservation report, and a UIUC Historic Properties Management Plan in addition to completing new archival research in institutional archives (in facilities and services files and field surveys) and also National Register of Historic Places nomination reports, PACA inventories, and onsite reviews.

Outcomes—Products: The institution produced the report, “Perception of UIUC’s Past Influences Campus Future” (2010). It created the Campus Building and Landscape Register and a Campus Historic Landscape Survey, both designed to serve as a framework for continuing research and evaluation of buildings. It also developed maintenance guidelines to frame proper treatment of historically significant elements documented in the Campus Building Register. These guidelines are outlined according to material or type of work. Landscape guidelines focus upon tree and site protection, plant material maintenance and pruning, and replacement of landscape elements with similar materials when such repairs and/or replacements are necessary. The Campus Heritage Program offers education and outreach through a lecture series, access to public information in the online databases, and specially-prepared CDs that are to be distributed in the university community.

Outcomes—Strategies and Goals for the Future: The project has helped UIUC to clarify its commitment to preservation objectives. These goals are to honor the historic assets of the community, respect the integrity of historic buildings and landscapes during rehabilitation and/or new construction, use heritage as an inspiration for new projects, seek private funding for the rehabilitation of historic assets, and create a legacy of historical and architectural heritage for future generations. The institution also developed further its master plan and design guidelines. UIUC hopes that its work in heritage preservation will serve as a model for preservation efforts in the surrounding community.