Last week construction crews began demolishing the 81-year-old Wilson Auditorium along Clifton Avenue. The structure had sat vacant, used for not much more than storage, for decades and had been planned for demolition for just as long.
University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono reassured concerned students in September that the building’s historic facades would be preserved.
A parking garage was once envisioned to take the place of Wilson Auditorium, but updated plans call for the construction of temporary classroom space for students displaced by the $45 million renovations taking place at the College of Education. Once that project is complete, the temporary structures will come down and school officials say that the site will be transformed into green space.
The future of another University-owned structure, however, also appears to be limited.
The Campus Services Building along Reading Road is rumored to also be in line for demolition. This 84-year-old structure was once home to a Sears Department Store and now sits on what will become prime real estate following the construction of the $108 million MLK Interchange.
Requests for information from the University of Cincinnati’s office of Planning + Design + Construction were not returned.
