As Kent State moves forward with its modernization efforts, the fate of the old Business Administration Building is still up in the air. Upon funding approval, the former business building at Kent State will be set for demolition as the College of Business transitions to the newly completed Crawford Hall.
The aging structure opened in 1973 but has been largely unused since the opening of its modern replacement. The building will continue to serve as a temporary surplus store, generating some revenue before its eventual removal until the demolition is finalized.
University officials acknowledged the financial struggles of maintaining the empty facility. University architect Jay Graham said “The building cost over half a million dollars a year when we were operating it.”
The demolition itself may cost a fortune. The average price for a demolition of a building of this size could cost upwards of 1.1 million dollars, but the university is looking to find the money soon, as keeping the building open will cost them more.
“It’s about $6.50 a square foot to operate a building,” Graham said. “So that’s to clean it, to pay for the utilities, for repairs … so the existing business building is about 110,000 square feet.”
While the university has since minimized those costs by closing the building, essential services like fire safety systems must still be maintained.
Plans for demolition were included in the original board resolution approving Crawford Hall. However, the timeline for the project remains uncertain as Kent State awaits potential funding from a state-backed initiative. The university remains in a holding pattern while awaiting a decision on the funding request.
“The universities in the state that make up what we call the UC, or University Council, have been talking with the state government about providing some one-time funds to universities such as us to tear down buildings,” Graham said.
As for what will replace the demolished building, a study is set to determine the best use of the space. The university must navigate structural challenges, as the old business building currently supports the hillside parking lot above and contains critical campus utility connections. While no final plans have been made, Graham said restoring the parking area and enhancing the natural landscape are potential options.
The newly opened Crawford Hall has been well received by students and faculty, offering significantly improved classroom flexibility, student collaboration spaces and advanced technology, such as an expanded Bloomberg trading lab. Many students complained about the old building, claiming it was a difficult learning environment.
“The entire building was very dark and cramped, and I felt claustrophobic just going to class,” junior business major Alex Yoder said.
Dean of the College of Business Deborah Spake said there are many benefits from the transition, such as the atrium’s role as a hub for students and its ability to host career fairs, which is a big upgrade from the challenges of hosting events in the old building. Many students do not pay attention to the announcements, but with this new setup they can see the employers and walk up to them to get more information.
“We’ve had the Cavs’ here, we’ve had the Guardians here, we’ve had Disney here and we’ve had some of the the top accounting firms in the nation here since we opened, and they’re able to just set up tables and the students can walk up and talk to them,” Spake said.
Kent State plans to continue with improvements. In addition to the demolition plans, the city of Kent is undertaking a project to revamp Main Street, introducing roundabouts to improve pedestrian safety near the university and a garden area outside of Crawford Hall.
David Williams is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].