BGSU's 'round building' coming down

BOWLING GREEN, O.—Bowling Green State University's Saddlemire Student Services Building is being torn down to make room for the future Wolfe Center for the Arts.

Demolition of the 40-year-old campus landmark—commonly called simply “the round building”—began in late July and will continue through August and possibly into early September. The demolition period also includes time for on-site sorting of recyclable material—about 75 percent of the building is being recycled—and grinding of concrete for use as fill. No work will be done during student move-in weekend, beginning Aug. 16.

For the hauling of nonrecyclable material from the site, the portion of Ridge Street between Mercer Road and Willard Drive will close to traffic except construction and emergency vehicles. To reach parking lots N, 14 and O, as well as buildings farther west along Ridge Street, motorists will have to take East Merry Avenue to Willard, then turn right onto Ridge.

Offices formerly located in Saddlemire moved during June, many of them to Conklin North. Construction of the Wolfe Center will probably begin in a little under 18 months. The construction time frame for the new arts center is about two years; a new student services building is still a few years away.

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(Posted August 08, 2007)