In my opinion, Washington School is the last great piece of public architecture (beside our churches) we have left in Peru and it is truly a treasure that as a city and a people we should not allow to be razed saying it no longer is needed.
I have discussed with friends what it could continue to be used for but I would love to hear from you.
14 comments:
Get the chain out and demolish the old son of a gun. If you want a brick as a memento bring your hard hat and get one as they go to the landfill.
I agree that Washington is a beautiful building but I do not think the school district or the city for that matter should get into trying to preserve old buildings at millions of dollars in cost so we can drive by and look at it. I think the district is making a fiscally responsible choice by moving forward and not putting more funds into an old building.
Having said that if the school district is not going to use the site then maybe someone will privately come along and purchase the school and use it for something else. I would rather see Washington torn down than left to sit empty and deteriorate. It had it's day. Just my opinion.
Beautiful building. I've been racking my brain with ideas to possibly save building. But, think of the money it would take for any kind of renovations. And we would have to sub- -contract a building/code enforcer with an extremely extensive resume to oversee the project if it would be to happen. Salvaging the brick? To build the pool house facility? Demolish top floors and use lower level for a huge pool house? Costly no matter what. Don't kid yourself, Harl probably wants it destroyed so the city could buy land a build a state of the art fire station/police station. The future is ticking and taxes are going to rapidly rising in peru.
Wonder how much it cost to build that building? If a person drove around town and wasn't from the area , seeing that building would catch their attention. Central state tournaments. Personally I have attended those games. And have heard several people from out of state ask about that building. I was even asked once. It would be a shame to demolish it, but costly to renovate up to code. The building is a no-win situation. Sad on all accounts. The old saying, cheaper to knock it down and build new. All of my children went to school there.
I agree with some of the previous comments. It is time to move on. It is one thing to save "historical" buildings but an old school is not a historical landmark in this regard. Great old building but time to move on the the next one.
I would also add that I have always been in Peru and I hear far more compliments on Parkside from people all around then I ever have heard about Washington for 40 years. Not saying it makes it any easier for Washington but the district did a tremendous job with the new one. Maybe a private investor will step forward.
We as a people need to learn to think outside of the box. Someone mentioned that IVCC which is in Oglesby and no more buildings were needed for adult education. Wrong because I have personally walked the distant parking lots at the college and it is a long walk especially in inclement weather epecially for the older adult. I believe that La Salle Peru which is totally lacking in facilities for adult activities outside of the YMCA and local libraries. Look around you and see that some have taken the leap to improve the old for a new use or continued use and you really have to look no further than La Salle and Ottawa where private enterprise is taking the leap and improving and building businesses in old buildings. Look where condos are being built in old abandoned warehouses nationwide. Locally someone purchased the former St Roch's church for living and working quarters. What Peru does not need is another parking lot. Forgive my ramblings but sometimes I believe Peru is the headquarters for something called "Search and Destroy" Put the building on the market and see if Peru is desirable to anyone
Where did Peru hold their 175th anniversary displays?
Where does Peru go when the weather is inclement for the Memorial Day services?
More to come later.
Love that building. Would hate to see it torn down. Look at Kaskaskia in LaSalle. Beautiful also. History also. For Washington school to ever be used for seniors either being housing, community center, etc.. Would be so costly I can't even imagine. Just making the whole building handicapped accessible would be in the millions. Not worth the money unless one was a billionaire, and would never get a return on their investment.. This is Peru, not a historical town like in the suburbs, where they don't want anything historical to be demolished. Oak Park, Oak Lawn, Naperville. They have the population and money and investors to save historical structures. Peru is 10,000 people. This isn't going to change. People are leaving the illinois valley after HS -college and not returning. It's a fact.
Peru is not a historical town because the vast majority of its historical sites have already been torn down. so what few are left standing, such as Wshington School, should remain standing. We know that people are leaving the Illinois Valley, we also know that with reasons such as good jobs they will return. Lets explore and create reasons for them to return.
Lois regarding your 1:57 comment, I guess I don't see where this ties in with anything else in the city. This has nothing to do with the city leaders. The school board has a job to do and it is not to make sure there is a place for inclement weather on the Memorial Day services. Seriously?
Who said they weren't going to try to do something with it? Have you asked someone? It seems like there is a lot of jumping to conclusions. I live in the neighborhood of Roosevelt and the Peru school district sold it for another use and saved it from being torn down.
4:38 and Lois, so who would you have pay millions of dollars to maintain an old school building? I hope you are not suggesting the school board or the city therefore the taxpayers. And keeping a 75 year old school building is going to help bring jobs back? I agree let's explore the jobs issue, but that has absolutely nothing to do with this.
2:47 PM
Evidently the city government does not agree with you that Peru is not a historical town. Take a look at the big new signs at all entering Peru signs.
It makes mention of coming into Historical Peru.
Our family has always said if you want to see historic Peru you will need to visit the landfill or buy a postcard. A shame but true.
Old does not equal a historical building. It is a money pit. Sell it if the school district does not need the land but I do not want my tax dollars being wasted on an old building!
To your question, I would love to see it turned into nice apartments or maybe condominiums. I really can't think of anything else. Unfortunately the same expenses that make it cost prohibitive for the school district to update will also be true for anyone who buys it UNLESS they redo it for something entirely different. If not then I think it should get the wrecking ball because you don't want to let it sit there and deteriorate. That would be pretty sad.
Peru is not a Historical Town or it would have signs pointing to the City Park on Third Street. This park has one of the oldest monuments in the state and many citizens of Peru do not even know of it. Today for some reason it is called Rotary Park.
A 75 year old building isn't historical. Granted it's very eye appealing but not historical. That building will not be bought. If it were on a Main Street, maybe, but doubt that also.
Post a Comment