Sounds like The Knoll is a dump

[KennyPratt42]

Treat it like Terrace Hill, the governor doesn't actually stay there that often and has their own home in the Des Moines area. They just have lots of events there, have parts of it open to the public, and some private spaces for the governor's family to stay when they want to. Its a little bit like at the capitol where the governor has a formal office and a working office on the lower level, one is mainly for events and the other is where they spend most of their time.

Also, living in a just shy of 8,000 square foot house with 3,600 of it being exclusively your space is quite a bit different than your standard 3,000 to 4,000 square foot suburban or acreage home. Once you get past about 4,000 square feet anything additional is almost always adding large entertaining spaces, recreational spaces (pools, gym, bowling alley, theater, etc), and guest facilities.

 

[shadow]

I was there once and it seemed like an old house designed to entertain guests with a massive kitchen and spaces. Surprised anyone lives there. I wouldn’t want to be that close to the students especially with the semi regular riots.

 

[CYEATHAWK]

I hate to see old buildings demolished, but sounds like financially that renovating this structure vs building new would be a better use of funds. Can even try to design a new structure with similar features that still pay tribute to the original while building something modern and updated that will last for a long time.

I would hate to see the Knoll just abandoned and repurposed for some dormitory or education structure. Seems like a good time with being in between presidents to do something now one way or another and can put some clause in the next president's contract that new housing will be furnished once the project is completed or something.

Building a new structure with similar features will cost more than a restore. Now one could say it won't need restored every 10-15 years at that cost. And with that you would be correct. However, with new materials and how they build today..........don't bet it would have the half life of the original.

Once again with that said........I don't know exactly what they are doing with that type of money. A good restore shouldn't have to be done every 10 years. We aren't talking s*** Jimmy Hardie or vinyl siding with "cultured" stone accents and aluminum cap trim around vinyl windows that seem to be on every frickin POS house build today.

The stuff they built this house with was meant to last. And so should the stuff they use to restore. So while I can speak somewhat to the restoration......that type of money shouldn't have to be spent every decade.

 

[NorthCyd]

Also, living in a just shy of 8,000 square foot house with 3,600 of it being exclusively your space is quite a bit different than your standard 3,000 to 4,000 square foot suburban or acreage home.

Yeah, but it's also a 100+ years old home. I would guess the layout of the living space sucks with lots of wasted space. It's not like they had open floor designs back then. I would guess your average 3000 square foot suburban home probably feels bigger than that 3600 square feet of living space in the knoll. I could be wrong though. I've never been in there.

 

[KennyPratt42]

Yeah, but it's also a 100+ years old home. I would guess the layout of the living space sucks with lots of wasted space. It's not like they had open floor designs back then. I would guess your average 3000 square foot suburban home probably feels bigger than that 3600 square feet of living space in the knoll. I could be wrong though. I've never been in there.

They did a 3,000 square foot addition not all that long ago that included expanding the garage with a living room, family kitchen, and dinning area above. I haven't been in the private residence portion of the Knoll either, but would guess at least that portion has a layout that would feel similar to any other modern home.

 

[JM4CY]

It isn't stealing if you return them afterward.

You’re a better man than I.

 

[dosry5]

Yeah, I guess I don't get it. This isn't an old building with classrooms or labs or whatever, it's a house. I'm sure it has a ballroom or something for events, but it's a house. I know plenty of people who live in old houses and have renovated. They are not dropping $1.7M to renovate and then another $750k 10 years later. You should be able to gut the whole thing for way less than that.

We should sell beer at Jack Trice to pay for the renovations to the Knoll!

 

[BryceC]

It's where the president has lived for like a 120 years lol. I figured everyone knew what the Knoll was.
And no I don't think there too many historic buildings in this country. In my opinion we've torn down too many historic buildings, not to get too deep but we lose part of our culture and tradition when we tear down the old. The whole reason ISU campus is pretty is because of the historic landscaping and buildings.
Not to say I'm for preserving every old building but let's try and keep the old historic stuff if we can, it's not just some random house.

Has anybody ever been in this place? It is absolutely just a house. I can’t fathom what we lose by tearing down a house that nobody has ever been in and will never walk into. It’s not like this is the Capitol building in Des Moines or something that had a ton of foot traffic. This is a very old house that will consume 2 million of public money in 10 years to maintain it.

 

[Tailg8er]

I was there once and it seemed like an old house designed to entertain guests with a massive kitchen and spaces. Surprised anyone lives there. I wouldn’t want to be that close to the students especially with the semi regular riots.

Semi-regular? When was the last riot at ISU?

 

[CYdTracked]

Maybe we could put the next ISU president in a luxury condo in the new CyTown!

 

[2122]

Lived a block away and walked past it daily back in the day. 'twas beautiful.

 

[pourcyne]

It's where the president has lived for like a 120 years lol. I figured everyone knew what the Knoll was.
And no I don't think there too many historic buildings in this country. In my opinion we've torn down too many historic buildings, not to get too deep but we lose part of our culture and tradition when we tear down the old. The whole reason ISU campus is pretty is because of the historic landscaping and buildings.
Not to say I'm for preserving every old building but let's try and keep the old historic stuff if we can, it's not just some random house.

Why would everyone know where the Knoll is? I sure was never invited there for lunch or ever had any interaction with the president . Except maybe to be handed a diploma at graduation.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Unless it's a State Law, which I doubt is the case, it's pretty easy to not include that requirement in the contract for the next president.

It should be negotiable. It's just a contract clause. These century old houses are not 21st century living style. Hell, I'd never live in that old dump. Our coaches live in modern mansions and we expect the universities CEO to live in a dump? It's an issue across the country with state and university presidents official residences. The U of MN did a study last year on the future of their own mansion/dumpy residence and opted to retain it as a residence and event venue. I think that was a mistake and that the "task force" sort of had that as their predetermined outcome. Some of these people really need to jump their thinking to the 21st century.

The Mpls park board has a house for the superintendent to live in their house on park board land. They used to require the superintendent to live there, now it's an option. Last super didn't, current super does.

 

[JP4CY]

Why would everyone know where the Knoll is? I sure was never invited there for lunch or ever had any interaction with the president . Except maybe to be handed a diploma at graduation.

I never lived in an RCA/MWL dorm but figure anyone who ever has walked by it at some point.
Same with Geoffrey/Buchanan.
Or say you're walking from Friley to a football or basketball game.
When I park in the MU ramp, I exit onto Union and take that to Lincoln and drive past it.
When the weather is nice and the trees are full, you can't see it from Lincoln way all that great but in the fall/winter/early spring you can. I know I've been able to see it sitting at the west bound stop light by it.

It could definitely be me, I just am surprised more people don't know about it.

 

[NWICY]

I was there once and it seemed like an old house designed to entertain guests with a massive kitchen and spaces. Surprised anyone lives there. I wouldn’t want to be that close to the students especially with the semi regular riots.

Meh, the riots have always been about stupidity not policy. To the best of my knowledge no one in administration has every been in harms way.

 

[pourcyne]

I never lived in an RCA/MWL dorm but figure anyone who ever has walked by it at some point.
Same with Geoffrey/Buchanan.
Or say you're walking from Friley to a football or basketball game.
When I park in the MU ramp, I exit onto Union and take that to Lincoln and drive past it.
When the weather is nice and the trees are full, you can't see it from Lincoln way all that great but in the fall/winter/early spring you can. I know I've been able to see it sitting at the west bound stop light by it.

It could definitely be me, I just am surprised more people don't know about it.

When walking from the towers south of campus it sure wasn't on my route . Especially during winter.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I'm surprised how few posters know where the Knoll is. Campus has changed a lot since I was there, but a lot of buildings I still recognize.

Helps that I lived across the street in the Birch/Welch/Roberts complex.

 

[Antihawk240]

I doubt Wintersteen "lives" there. My guess is they have another house and she commutes in. I see it as the high school athlete who "moves" to town as they missed the open enrollment deadline.

Personally I would fix it up and treat it as another venue for the president to host parties for diplomats or business ceo's who are visiting.

In full speculation: I think this is exactly what they are using it for today and the president is not in fact living in it.

 

[shadow]

Semi-regular? When was the last riot at ISU?

VEISHEA - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

"
In later years, rioting and disturbances tarnished the VEISHEA celebration. Riots marred the event in 1988, 1992 and 1994.[14] During the 1997 VEISHEA festival, Harold "Uri" Sellers, a VEISHEA visitor was murdered in a stabbing on the front lawn at Adelante Fraternity by another VEISHEA visitor, Michael Runyan.[15]

In 2004 a riot occurred during the early morning hours of April 18 after Ames Police dispersed about 400 people at a nuisance party.[16] This crowd grew, intensified, and eventually became violent, ultimately causing over $250,000 in damage to public and private property.[17]
...
In 2014 a riot occurred in the early morning of April 9, with one reported injury.[23] In response, Iowa State president Steven Leath suspended the remainder of the 2014 VEISHEA celebrations and created a task force to discuss the future of VEISHEA.[24]"

 

[VeloClone]

What’s historic about the knoll? I didn’t even remember that was the name of the presidents house until opening this thread.

Way, way, way too many “historic” buildings in this country. Make way for the new and tear down this old money suck.

Yeah, should probably tear down the White House too. Afterall it is over 200 years old.