Tim PostWesbrook Hall is now little more than a pile of bricks.
This week two excavators tore down the building that stood in the heart of the U of M’s campus for more than a century.
The demolition is part of the U’s effort to get rid of several aging buildings it considers obsolete.
The loss of this building is a blow to preservationists, who thought it should be renovated and reused.
U of M officials said Wesbrook would cost too much to renovate. And they claim it crowds nearby Northrop Auditorium, which is currently undergoing an $80 million renovation.
Expect more scenes like this at the U of M. There are several buildings slated for demolition on the U’s Minneapolis and St. Paul campus in the coming weeks and months.
(Update: Click here for some more photos from the Facebook page of the College of Liberal Arts. Thanks to KellyO for the tip. And below is a video on Westbrook memories, submitted by Greg.)
MPR Photo/Tim Post
Wesbrook Hall before … and after
