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Thursday, March 14, 2013

Ohio University Wants To Demolish Haunted Building

Ohio University Schedules Demolition of Building That's Believed To Be Haunted.. Students and Preservationists Hope To Persuade Them Not To Demolish The Building... Haunted Society Paranormal News - Subscribe To Our News Feed Here

Saturday, September 22nd, 2012
Article By: Phillip Brunelle
www.HauntedSociety.com

ATHENS, OHIO --- The Ohio University has announced their plans to demolish a historical building, that's said to be haunted, before this coming Halloween... but many students and historical preservationists are objecting to the University's demolition plans.

The Ridges Building 26 was once used as the Beacon School, but the 88-year-old historical building was originally built to serve as a tuberculosis ward at the state mental hospital that once owned the property, which was acquired by Ohio University in the 1980's.

Officials at Ohio University said they're hoping to demolish Ridges Building 26 before Halloween to prevent curious students and ghost hunters from trespassing and causing more vandalism to the building. "Ridges Building 26 has become an attractive nuisance" said Harry Wyatt, associate vice president for facilities.

Harry Wyatt said he's not happy about demolishing a historical building, but in its state of disrepair he's concerned for people's safety. "When trespassers break in they're putting themselves in danger" Harry Wyatt said, he continued "This is a part of my job that I hate, but personally and professionally, I’m convinced that this is the right thing to do for this building, for safety reasons.”

The state of Ohio has promised Ohio University $300,000 for the demolition of Ridges Building 26, and this has the historical society furious, and they're wondering why the university isn't using this money to rehabilitate the building, rather than tearing it down. "The building has historical significance as part of a still-intact mental-health campus that dates to 1868" said Tom O’Grady, President of Athens County Historical Society. "The building is not falling down, It’s deteriorating around the edges.”

K. Robert Toy, a lawyer on the historical society’s board, questioned why, if Ohio University is concerned about trespassing, they recently removed a fence that had been posted with 'no trespassing' signs. “If it’s an attractive nuisance, it’s more of one now,” K. Robert Toy said.

Ohio University Campus Police told Haunted Society that they've arrested 55 people in the last few years for trespassing at the haunted Ridges 26 Building. Most or all of which were thrill seeking students and ghost hunters breaking in to investigate because of the local folklore and claims of paranormal activity.

The last public statement given to Haunted Society Paranormal News was issued by Ohio University spokeswoman Renea Morris, who said, “The goal is for the building to be demolished prior to Halloween, but no demolition date has been set at this time. The project is going through final plan review and standard institutional approvals prior to its initiation."

Students, preservationists and many people in the paranormal community are hoping that before Ohio University makes any final approvals for the demolition of the haunted Ridges Building 26, that they consider using the $300,000 toward rehabilitating the building and using it for a meaningful purpose. The office of the President of Ohio University can be contacted by Email Here if you would like to voice your opinion to the university, or you can comment below to share your thoughts. If you're not a member of Haunted Society Paranormal Network, we invite you to Join Here. Haunted Society is a trusted source of bizarre and paranormal news and a free paranormal social networking website.

MESSAGE TO OHIO UNIVERSITY

This has importance to the paranormal community for a couple reasons, for one, we like many preservationists, prefer to preserve history whenever possible, but also because this building was once the location where many people died from tuberculosis. Of course with the rumors of the building being haunted, many people will be attracted to it, but if the building is haunted, this means that there are spirits within the walls of this building of every person who died there.

Haunted Society asks that Ohio University reconsiders their plans to demolish Ridges Building 26, and use the $300,000 to rehab, or at least, improve upon securing the building to prevent trespassers and vandalism. If they should still move forward with the demolition of the building, we ask that before doing so, that Ohio University consults a paranormal professional for a spiritual cleansing, to release the spirits of anyone left behind, or that's attached, or stuck inside this building. Ohio University might find this to be bizarre or unimportant to consider, but if you would consider this and need assistance getting someone for a spiritual cleansing, PLEASE CONTACT US HERE.

Paranormal News Article Written By Phillip Brunelle, The Founder of Haunted Society Paranormal Network & Haunted Society Paranormal News Journalist. Phillip Brunelle Is Also A Lifestyle & Entertainment Journalist For Google News & Technorati News -- Email Phillip Brunelle Here -- Send News Tips Here

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Tags: 26, Athens, Athens County Historical Society, Harry Wyatt, Haunted Society, K Robert Toy, OH, OU, Ohio, Ohio University, More…Phillip Brunelle, Renea Morris, Ridges Building 26, Tom O’Grady, building, campus, college, community, demolish, demolition, folklore, haunted, haunted building, historic, historical, hospital, news, old, paranormal, paranormal news, plans, police, preservationists, ridges, school, society, students, university

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Comment by Donna on September 26, 2012 at 10:19pm

If they can't find a way to renovate it, maybe they could work with the public in some kind of way, and allow people to respectfully go thru one last time, and get pics etc, before demolition?

Comment by Michelle K. on September 25, 2012 at 3:33pm

good article Phillip....good responses from all. As I said on my comment yesterday, let the rightful owners of this building decide what is best to do with it as I am sure they are listening to all sides. One person in the article said it is unsafe while another claimed that all that is needed is repairs around the edges....big differences there in opinion. Let the person who is qualified to make that assessment decide what is the best way to handle this. After that is done, and if and only if the building proves to be restorable (structurally and able to have asbestos removed and other potential hazards) they than can proceed as to the decision as to who should and could pay for the preservation and fundraising needed to do any project of this nature....such as a museum or other if that is decided to preserve the building. As a manager im sure that safety is the MOST IMPORTANT legal issue.....along with keeping unwelcomed visitors out. I am unsure as to the reason they removed a prior fence....the article doesnt say why. As to it being haunted.....no SURE proof has been offered in the article. Many unfortunate folks have died there...that is a fact....that alone does NOT make it haunted nor has any solid proof been offered in the article as to the presence of any trapped souls.. For me anyway, is best to stick mainly with the facts and less with speculation and raw emotions. I myself did not read anything in the article to suggest that anyone legally or otherwise associated with the Ridges Building 26, has or had any intentional or unintentional disrespect for those that passed on. All opinions are valued by all who are involved in this project. Good luck to all who are working hard there and listening to all public opinions which are as wide and varied as the opinions as to whether ghosts even exist..

Comment by Michelle on September 25, 2012 at 2:33pm U could not possibly understand where im going with this unless ur family members were there, i say members meaning more than one!!! I have been at the gravesites have u??? And for ur information i pay taxes....i do not sit on welfare and i would so much rather see my taxes going for the renovation of that building rather than some sorry butt who is to lazy to get a job!!! Comment by Pete C on September 25, 2012 at 6:55am

michelle,

I understand where you going with this, but family members have died in every hospital, restaurants, houses, etc.. across the nation..does that mean none should ever close down?  People go to grave sites to morn, not the places they died in.  I understand your intentions are good at heart, but when your a tax payer for long enough in your life, you understand when its important to cut the fat.

Comment by Michelle on September 24, 2012 at 8:54pm Family members have died at that hospital...they do not care one bit for the families of those patients!!!!!! Comment by Pete C on September 24, 2012 at 11:07am

I know everyone thinks its haunted, but lets be honest, for thoose of you who sign the petition... are you willing to pay for the upkeep?  As a tax payer, I sure as heck am not.

Comment by Alexis E. McKenna on September 24, 2012 at 1:11am

I don't think the building should be torn down but in order to prevent it being torn down maybe the students could save it by making it a "project" and the way they could raise the funds would be to visit a website that is helpful in doing just that. kickstarter.com     It is project site that many people use to showcase their ideas and projects and raise the needed money for those things!!! It just a suggestion if the Ohio students and residents want to save their building. Good luck!!

Comment by linda villard on September 23, 2012 at 6:12pm

I'm sure that there are some funding somewhere and a lot of people would donate a little bit and that would help !!

Comment by Earlene on September 23, 2012 at 5:55pm

What is wrong with taking out the Asbestos and the lead. People do it all the time for Historical building then they can reuse the building for school purposes. Without upseting all the groups. I mean its gonna cost 300,000 plus to demolish and drama for doing verus cleaning it up for ? amount of money(safely of course) and keeping people happy. Paranormal Investigations( dont like the words Ghost Hunting) aside, buildings were made for a reason and should be valued as such. They could always get a pysic in there and find out why spirit or entities are trapped and help them cross or at least help them cope and get along with the interactions of others( alive).

Comment by Michelle K. on September 23, 2012 at 3:42pm

If a structural engineer finds the building unsafe then by all means I agree with tearing it down. Trespassing is illegal, no matter what someone is doing in the building. I am sure they are very concerned with legal issues if someone is stupid enough to break and enter and get hurt. Im surprised of the lack of any form of security cameras or alarm system to ward off would be ghost hunters and trespassers.  If mere cosmetic fixes are all that is needed is a shame to tear any historic building down. Perhaps it can be used as a museum of medical artifacts.  I am sure that the local medical comminity and student association would chip in for the renovations for the SOLE purpose of a medical museum....... Noone has given any proof thus far that the building is haunted....is just a rumor according to the article.No trapped souls have been proven to be there. Not everyone believes in ghosts or hauntings and are not expected nor forced to believe in such and getting any kind of "Ghost Hunting"permit in that college historic building may prove difficult. The poor souls that died in those unfortunate buildings deserve peace......not to be used for "fee" by anyone or told "We demand you show yourself" by the living. Good luck to them no matter what they decide to do with the historic building.


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