Photo Credit: AJC
Berry College is facing criticism from alumni and historic preservation advocates following the demolition of two of the college’s oldest buildings, prompting calls for greater transparency about how the Rome college handles its historic properties.
According to reporting by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Cherokee Lodge and Pinewood Cottage, both dating to around 1920, were demolished earlier this year. The two structures are among several buildings removed from Berry’s sprawling campus since 2008.
The demolitions have led some alumni to question whether enough is being done to preserve the historic character of the Berry campus. An online petition organized by alumni had collected more than 1,100 signatures, with supporters calling for greater transparency surrounding historic preservation decisions.
The AJC reports that Jennifer Dickey, who had worked as Berry’s contracted historic preservationist for nearly two decades, said she was not consulted before the demolition of Cherokee Lodge or Pinewood Cottage. Dickey told the newspaper she was later fired after publicly criticizing the decisions. Berry confirmed her departure through others cited by the newspaper but told the AJC that it does not comment on the status of consultants.
Berry College spokesperson Chris Kozelle defended the college’s overall approach to campus development, saying the recently demolished buildings represented less than one percent of the college’s total square footage. Kozelle said renovation, restoration and replacement decisions are made with consideration for the college’s mission, resources and architectural history.
The condition of the buildings has also become part of the debate.
Rome architect Mark Cochran evaluated Cherokee Lodge and told the AJC that although portions could have been retained, the amount of work necessary to make the structure safe and functional would have required replacing so much of the original construction that describing the project as a rehabilitation would not have been technically accurate.
A new structure is planned for the Cherokee Lodge site. Cochran said the project will be new construction influenced by the historic building’s architectural character rather than a restoration or reconstruction of the original lodge.
Pinewood Cottage, meanwhile, was demolished in March and is in the process of being historically reconstructed, according to the AJC. Cherokee Lodge, the second-oldest building on Berry’s Mountain Campus, was demolished in May.
The controversy has also raised questions about the future of other older structures on the campus. Alumni and preservation advocates say they are not necessarily demanding that every building be saved, but want a clearer and more consistent process for determining which historic structures are preserved, rehabilitated or replaced.
Berry College traces its beginnings to Martha Berry’s establishment of the Boys Industrial School in 1902. Its historic buildings and distinctive architecture have become defining features of the approximately 27,000-acre campus in Rome.
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