Update: On Thursday evening, WMU spokesperson Paula Davis confirmed that the university is considering "removing" the gatehouse, though she added that the university's "priority" is to "identify a party interested in preserving the building by relocating it." Davis said that either process would take "months."
WMUK received a tip Thursday that Western Michigan University is planning to demolish the State Hospital Gatehouse, a Gothic Revival structure that was originally built in 1877, according to the Kalamazoo Public Library. It sits on the corner of Oliver Street and Oakland Drive in Kalamazoo and is on the city's list of local buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.
In a call with WMUK, Rodger Parzyck, owner of the Heritage Company Architectural Salvage & Supply in Kalamazoo, acknowledged that Western had reached out to him about salvaging items from the gatehouse.
Parzyck added that a retired university administrator contacted Heritage and allowed it to tour the building this week, in order to pick out what salvage from the gatehouse the company would like to save.
He said it was his understanding that demolition was not imminent, but would likely occur within the next 60 days.
