BLUFFTON, OH (WLIO) - A building on the campus of Bluffton University for over 100 years will be demolished next year.
Demolition on Berky Hall is not scheduled to take place until mid-to-late May of 2025.
The university received a grant from the Allen County Land Bank to demolish Berky Hall, a building that was built in 1914. The building served many purposes over the years and was in use until the end of the fall 2023 semester last year. With the addition of the Knowlton Science Center in 2023, Berky Hall has been vacant on the Bluffton campus and now gives the university the ability to use the space in more impactful ways.
The building served many purposes over the years and was in use until the end of the fall 2023 semester last year.
"It's about 110 years old, so I think it's served Bluffton University really well, right? It was just time. We have a brand new state-of-the-art facility that our students can utilize now and certainly going forward. The first step is to take it down and then have some campus communication with a variety of folks and see how it can be best impactful on our campus," commented Phill Talavinia, vice president of student affairs & athletics at Bluffton University.
Berky Hall has been vacant on the Bluffton campus and now gives the university the ability to use the space in more impactful ways.
Demolition on Berky Hall is not scheduled to take place until mid-to-late May of 2025.
November 6, 2024, Press Release from Bluffton University: BLUFFTON, Ohio— Bluffton University has received a grant from Allen County Land Bank to demolish Berky Hall.
“Bluffton University is grateful to receive a grant from Allen County Land Bank to assist us in the removal of Berky Hall on the Bluffton campus,” said Phill Talavinia, vice president of student life and athletics. “Now that we have the new Knowlton Science Center in place, we can remove the old science building and use the space in more impactful ways.”
Built in 1914, Berky Hall housed Bluffton University’s nutrition and dietetics department and the fashion and interior design program in addition to a number of classrooms. With the addition of Knowlton Science Center in 2023, Berky Hall has been a vacant space on Bluffton’s campus.
The goal of the Allen County Land Bank is to demolish vacant areas in Allen County to help establish healthy, safe and friendly neighborhoods in the communities throughout Allen County.
Demolition is not scheduled to take place until mid-to-late May 2025, but remediation work will be completed in the coming months.
