Stone Hall (Ithaca, New York)
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Stone Hall was a building on the campus of
Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
in
Ithaca, New York Ithaca () is a city in and the county seat of Tompkins County, New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York (state), New York, Ithaca is the largest community in the Ithaca metrop ...
, named after John Lemuel Stone, a
CALS Cals or CALS may refer to: People with the surname * Isabelle Cals, French opera singer * Jo Cals (1914–1971), Dutch politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1965 to 1966 * Adolphe-Félix Cals (1810–1880), French portrait and landsca ...
professor of farm practice during the early 1900s. Stone, Roberts, and East Roberts Hall were three joined buildings on the Agriculture Quadrangle, with the larger Roberts in the center and Stone and East Roberts on the west and east sides, respectively. The three buildings made up the original
New York State College of Agriculture The New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University (CALS or Ag School) is one of Cornell University's four statutory colleges, and is the only agricultural college in the Ivy League. With enrollment of approximat ...
, built 1905–1906. The three were demolished in the late 1980s, despite the efforts of the City of Ithaca and local preservationists to save the buildings.


Controversy over demolition

The State University of New York determined that the three buildings were in poor and deteriorating condition. A 1973 study conducted by State University of New York suggested that renovation would cost over $14 million. Instead, they planned to first raze Stone Hall to make room for a new administrative building to be called Academic I. After Academic I's completion, the state planned to raze Roberts and East Roberts to build a new plant sciences building.


Legal battles

Local preservationist group Historic Ithaca, in an attempt to save the building, had the structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, as well as designated a city historic landmark. Starting in 1982, the city and Historic Ithaca launched a series of lawsuits and appeals in an attempt to block demolition. The city argued in court that the buildings could not be altered without approval from the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission.


Demolition

On February 10, 1986, about "one tenth" of Stone Hall was demolished, ahead of the late February date which was expected. A state Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order, pointing out that a demolition permit had not been granted by the city. In July 1986, a State Supreme court judge ruled that state college campus buildings are not protected by local preservation orders. After standing partially-demolished for much of the year, the remainder of the building was removed in December 1986. Construction of "Academic I" (now known as Kennedy Hall) began in May 1987. Citing the legal precedent of Stone Hall, the State University officials proceeded with the demolition of Roberts Hall and
East Roberts Hall East Roberts Hall was a building on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, which opened on Wednesday, October 10, 1906. Originally just referred to as the Dairy Building, it was not called East Roberts Hall until 1923 when other dep ...
in July 1990.


See also

* Roberts Hall *
East Roberts Hall East Roberts Hall was a building on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, which opened on Wednesday, October 10, 1906. Originally just referred to as the Dairy Building, it was not called East Roberts Hall until 1923 when other dep ...


References

Cornell University buildings School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) National Register of Historic Places in Tompkins County, New York {{TompkinsCountyNY-NRHP-stub