Wheeling Hospital officials seem as though they are planning not to restore the Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy building, of which they took ownership Aug. 2. But alumni, preservation groups and other members of the community have begged for an adaptive reuse of the building, and hospital officials should not ignore them.
While offering a tour of the facility in which members of the media were shown the extent to which time and the elements have taken their toll on the building, spokesman Gregg Warren said the hospital is not ready to announce its intentions for the property.
"We're not going to comment on those requests (to preserve the building), nor are we going to comment on any plans that we do or do not have," he said.
Though Warren and hospital Vice President John Pastorius seemed intent on stressing that restoration of the historic building would take "millions and millions" of dollars - and the building is, indeed, desperately in need of repair - hospital officials should keep in mind how important The Mount has been to Wheeling, and to alumni all over the world. The main building is an architectural and historic landmark.
Auctions of historically significant artifacts from the building, such as a Wheeling-made chandelier and two Steinway pianos, raised thousands of dollars. Though that money went to the facility's previous owners, the Sisters of the Visitation, it was an indication of the degree to which many members of the public wish to see The Mount preserved.
Hospital officials say they will make extensive repairs to the cemetery behind the school. If they are willing to put the time, money and effort into mending the cemetery, the final resting place of many of the Sisters of the Visitation, surely hospital officials understand the importance of the building in which so many of the sisters devoted their lives to the good of others.
Again, much of the building clearly has deteriorated badly. It may not be feasible to save the entire structure.
But if part of it, including the facade and perhaps the main building's lower floors, can be preserved at reasonable cost, hospital officials should consider it.