wfn.org | North Central College Fire

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)]

Reply-to: owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)
"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (313
notes).

Note 313 by UMNS on Sept. 11, 1997 at 16:07 Eastern (2444 characters).

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Linda Green                              501(10-71B){313}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470            Sept. 11, 1997

Fire damages centerpiece 
of North Central College

                 by United Methodist News Service

     The 127-year-old visual centerpiece of United Methodist-
related North Central College, Naperville, Ill., was damaged by a
Sept. 5 fire.
     Historic Old Main, used primarily as the college's
administration building, sustained damages to the fourth and fifth
stories of the south wing during the early afternoon blaze.
     The landmark structure was undergoing interior demolition in
preparation for a $6 million renovation scheduled for completion
by the fall of 1998. 
     The cause of the fire has not been determined and a damage
estimate will not be available for weeks, said college president
Harold R. Wilde.
     In a Sept. 8 letter to the college community, Wilde expressed
his gratefulness that no one was injured in the fire. He said he
was moved by the reactions of the college community. "All were
reminded that Old Main is more than a building. It is a living
symbol of everything that this school has stood for since 1870,"
the letter said. 
     After the fire, the Naperville building department issued a
"stop work" order to the construction company doing the
renovations. A Sept. 9 inspection determined the structure to be
"solid" and officials rescinded the order, permitting 
construction to resume in the center and north sections of the
building. 
     Wilde thanked the 19th century architects for designing the
building with "very fire resistant" beams. He said these 19th
century workers "built for the ages."
     Although the fire may set the renovation timetable back, he
said the college has received assurances from the contractor that
everything possible will be done to catch up so that all work can
be completed in 12 months and "there will be no compromise in our
plans for the completed structure."
        Noting that the renovated building will have a full
sprinkler system, Wilde said the restoration is intended to
"assure that Old Main remains a symbol and the center of the North
Central campus for the next 127 years."
                              #  #  #   

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------