Renovations on Marshall University’s president’s house began in April and are expected to take until the end of the year, according to school officials. The historic home was built in 1923 and hasn’t been renovated since 1971.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Marshall University expects to spend about $500,000 in ongoing renovations of its president’s house, a historic 1920s-era structure the school says was last renovated in the ‘70s.
Brandi Jacobs-Jones, Marshall’s senior vice president for operations and chief of staff for interim President Gary White, said the work began in April and won’t likely be done until near the end of the year.
Ginny Painter, the school’s vice president for communications and marketing, wrote in emails to the Gazette that the first floor and grounds are used for school functions, while the second floor is for the president’s family. White is not living in the house, located at 1040 13th Ave., while Marshall continues its search for a permanent president following the unexpected death in December of Stephen Kopp.
“The house has not been renovated for a number of years and is in dire need of structural work,” Painter said. “The time for getting that work done is while we do not have a family in the house.”
She said the contract for whomever the university hires as permanent president will require him or her to live in the home.
“Before the new president comes to the residence, we want to make sure that it’s in good repair,” White said. “It’s a landmark in this community. We want to maintain it. It’s a tremendous asset for Marshall University.”