The University of Akron board of trustees wants to sell the university-owned residence that housed two of its previous presidents.
At Wednesday’s board of trustees meeting, under new business, the board approved a resolution authorizing the administration to seek legislation to sell the house at 465 Burning Tree Drive near Portage Country Club in West Akron.
When Matthew Wilson was named UA president, he and the board agreed that he would not move into the house nor be provided with a housing allowance as part of his contract. He was already living in a home he purchased when he first came to the area 2½ years ago as dean of the School of Law.
From 1999 until July 2016, UA required its president to live in the university-owned residence. Before that, either a housing allowance was provided or the president lived in university-owned housing.
The Summit County Fiscal Office website appraises the property’s total value at $689,220.
“It’s empty and not being used. The board wants the legislature to authorize selling the house for its revenue,” UA spokesman Wayne Hill said.
Hill said it costs a little less than $2,000 a month in utilities, maintenance and for security.
When Wilson entertains UA alumni, friends, donors and others, he uses on-campus facilities or his home in Hudson.
The university-owned Akron residence and neighboring lot was purchased in 1998 for $850,000 with proceeds from the sale of residences that had been privately donated to the University of Akron and held in it endowment fund.
Former President Luis Proenza was UA’s first occupant at the residence. In 2014, the board authorized repairs and renovations for President Scott Scarborough; it spent $951,824 to renovate the colonial brick two-story home for him. University officials said at the time it was the first major update of the home since little work had been done to maintain the property in 15 years. The 7,600-square foot home has five bedrooms, six full bathrooms, two half-baths, marble floors and a four-car garage. Scarborough vacated the property in mid-September when he stepped down as president.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com or Follow her on Twitter@MarilynMillerBJ