 | Board of Visitors minutes April 9, 1954 |  |
PROFESSOR WRIGHT'S COTTAGE
President Darden referred to his letter to The Rector dated March 26, 1954 (copies of
which have been mailed to members of the Board and to Professor Wright) reviewing the record
of Professor David McC. Wright's tenancy of the cottage at No. 2 Dawson's Row, and abstracting
the relevant parts of that portion of Professor Wright's correspondence on the subject which
has been addressed to the President
In the discussion which followed, the following points were made: (1) Residence in the
University Grounds is a privilege, not a right of University professors, only a few houses
are available, (2) Professor Wright originally requested and was assigned the No. 2 Dawson's
Row house with full understanding that the arrangement was temporary, that the University
planned demolition of the house at an early date, and that extensive repairs could not
be anticipated.
After stating that Professor and Mrs. Wright, in response to the Resolution adopted
by the Board on March 12th, have sent to Mr. O'Grince, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds,
a statement of their minimum requirements in repairs to the house, the President laid before the
Board the following letter, with attached statements supporting the figures mentioned therein
Department of Buildings and Grounds
P. O. Box 1697
University, Virginia
April 6, 1954
President
In reference to your request for an estimate on the renovation of the Wright cottage, see
the attached
My initial estimate of $6650 covers only those items requested by Mrs. Wright. Now as for
a complete estimate on the renovation of their residence, which the writer feels will then place
this home on par with other Faculty residences on the Grounds, the cost of the work involved will
total $11,850. This latter figure includes the initial $6650 mentioned above
Superintendent
| April 6, 1954 | ||
| (a) | Replastering and repainting entire inside area | $ 2,500.00 |
| (b) | Masonry - fireplace reinforced with new brick | 150.00 |
| (c) | Electrical - wiring | 1,500.00 |
| (d) | Flooring | 2,500.00 |
| TOTAL | $6,650.00 |
| March 24, 1954 | ||
| 1. | Electrical - Rewire completely | $ 1,500.00 |
| 2. | Plumbing- New sink, kitchen cabinets | 750.00 |
| 3. | Plastering - 75% to be replaced | 2,500.00 |
| 4. | Paint - complete interior | 1,500.00 |
| 5. | Floors- replace living room, dining room, master bed room, renew joist in kitcher |
2,500.00 |
| 6. | Rebuild rear porch | 500.00 |
| 7. | Rework and replace exterior siding | 250.00 |
| 8. | Heating - replacing radiators | 250.00 |
| 9. | Misc. carpentry - trim, doors, hardward, clothes closets | 1,000.00 |
| 10. | Misc. contingencies | 750.00 |
| 11. | Replace and rework blinds | 350.00 |
| TOTAL | $11,850.00 |
The Board adopted the following resolution
RESOLVED by the Board of Visitors of the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
(1) that the request of Professor and Mrs. Wright be denied, the expense required to perform
the repairs specified as the minimum renovation satisfactory to them being unjustifiably high
for a temporary cottage which is to be demolished, probably two years hence, and not later than
four years from now, and (2) that the Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds be directed
to carry out only such miminum repairs as will make possible the tenancy of the house by
Professor Wright (if he wishes to retain it) or by such other tenant as may be assigned to
the house as his successor
| Board of Visitors minutes April 9, 1954 | |