FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 03/18/2008
Reprinted courtesy of The Greenville Advocate 

Future of Historic Hogue Hall Looks Grim
Plaster Removal Reveals Major Problems
Story and photos by Jeff Leidel

No one could imagine what was hidden behind the plastered walls of the 150-year-old historic Hogue Hall on the campus of Greenville College.

It’s the damaged bricks, cracks and other failures of the structure which leads to the real possibility that there might be no future for Hogue Hall.

Greenville College officials are waiting to receive additional information from engineers who have made a complete inspection of the building.  The plaster walls were removed to reveal the brick and bricks were tested.

Phil Amos, facilities director for the college, stated that nearly all of the bricks failed the stress test.  He added that bricks in the core of the building tested poorly, like the ones on the ends of the building.

Once the additional data is received, which is expected to include cost estimates for work, the college officials will make a decision whether or not the building will be replaced.

Greenville College President James Mannoia said this will not be an easy decision, especially if all information leans toward the end of the building.  When Mannoia’s father attended G.C, he had a room in Hogue Hall.

One thing the college president knows is the representatives of a company involved in restoration projects have commented they have never seen a building as bad as Hogue Hall, and never a building in this bad of shape that was so recently occupied.

In August of last year, it was announced that when work was started to renovate Hogue Hall, significant cracks were found in one of the main timbers that support the internal masonry wall in the eastern-most wing of Hogue Hall. 

The east and west wings of the four-story building contain four offices on each of the upper three floors.

The college took immediate steps to reinforce the main timber, halted further remodeling, and sought the assistance of both a structural engineer and an architectural firm specializing in the restoration of old buildings.

Later it was revealed that engineers believed the central core of the building was also dangerous.

Toward the end of November, offices, faculty and classrooms were moved to other locations.  Hogue Hall is now vacant with the exception of the college’s technology center servers still in operation.

President Mannoia, Amos and David Hoag, senior vice president for advancement, said they were shocked at what was seen when the  wall plaster was removed in the building. 

“Once we looked at this, we realized it might require we take the whole building down, the structural issues are so severe,” said the college president.    Amos added, “We didn’t have any idea this (the damage) existed until this past year.  It’s amazing once you start looking at it.”

He said the costs to do something with the current structure would be “substantially high.”  Mannoia reported the college is prepared to pay more, but how much more is not known.

“It’s beginning to look like it might be more cost effective, and also better programmatically, with a new building,”  Mannoia said.

When Hogue Hall was constructed in the late 1800s, the bricks were made on site. Mannoia said the bricks were of varying quality and they now do not have the integrity needed for a safe building.

Amos and Mannoia believe the catwalk, that leads from Hogue Hall east to Ladue Auditorium is the only thing holding up the east wall of Hogue Hall. 

The east end of the catwalk angle iron structural members can be seen poking through the bricks from the inside of Hogue Hall.  The east wall of the building is also bowing in.   

The catwalk has been closed off and bricked off at the Ladue Auditorium side.

Over the years, alterations were made to the building, and when the  wall plaster was removed, the problems caused by this work can be seen.  Fireplaces were removed, but chimneys remained.  Most of the chimneys have severe cracks in them. 

Amos reported that the bell tower, at the front of Hogue Hall, is pulling away from the building. 

On both ends of the structure, arches were constructed.  They provide little, if any building support, as they have large cracks.   Amos commented, “There’s no structural integrity.  The mortar in the old joists is loose and the floor joists are not tied to the masonry.”

In addition, metal air ducts were at one time put through the brick walls, also negatively affecting the structural integrity.

Most inside doors were installed with wooden lentils or none at all.

Floors in many of the rooms are sagging.  In some instances, the floor is several inches below where they were when originally installed.

Up to this point, Greenville College has spent over $750,000 in moving employees from the building and making new spaces for the offices and classrooms, demolition work inside Hogue Hall for inspections, and the work of architects and engineers.

Hoag said it will probably take at least another $600,000 to move the technology center.  

President Mannoia said that when the original cost figure of about $5 million was given in the fall, that was before the plaster had been removed from the bricks.

Regarding the possibility of renovating Hogue Hall, if it is at all possible, the college president commented, “We realize that there might be substantial more expense now and we’d still have a 150-year-old building.”

None of the three college officials want to see Hogue Hall, which is on the list of national historic buildings,  no longer in existence.  “It would be a shame if we have to tear down, but the reality is how much do you spend?”  Amos stated.  

The estimated costs should be known in the very near future.

President Mannoia said that if Hogue Hall had to be removed, college officials would be sensitive to how a new building would look, trying to follow some of the design of the historic structure.

He added that he could imagine the front of the building looking like it does now.

CONTACT:
Robyn Florian
Director of College Relations and Marketing
Greenville College
(618) 664-6515
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