Despite surviving two major earthquakes, and two World Wars, historic Ralston Hall will no longer house university offices and classrooms. This after the stark recommendations of two recent and independent engineering reports.

The last day the mansion is expected to be open to the public is January 15. After that, it will be closed and sealed indefinitely.

According to a school press release on November 11, “NDNU recently had an engineer perform a structural analysis of Ralston Hall…analysis pointed out some potential problems with the building in the event of another severe earthquake.”

“Therefore, the administration has decided that we should plan for an orderly relocation of the people who work in Ralston Hall to interim locations on campus while we determine exactly what needs to be done…”

The issues currently known are: the port-cochere, or large overhang that sits above the driveway and the un-reinforced masonry foundation. The problem in the basement is so serious, that access to it is highly restricted due to liability concerns.

At a meeting with staff and faculty on November 22, ironically in Ralston’s Ballroom, Dr. Judith Greig addressed several of the rumors surrounding the announced, “orderly relocation.”

“Ralston Hall is not condemned,” she began. “At the same time, the problems with the building are serious – I went to the basement and saw them myself. We cannot accurately predict how the building will perform in the event of a large earthquake.”

The report used verbiage that Greig said, “Caught my eyes immediately.”

The phrase, “…with deliberate speed” also caught the attention of the Board of Directors, who made the decision to evacuate the mansion and relocate staff as soon as reasonably possible.

“The safety of the people in the building is paramount. I am not willing to roll the dice with people’s lives,” said Greig.

As of this printing, it is not yet known the exact cost of the renovations, where the displaced faculty and staff will go or how long the mansion will be left empty as a result. However, Greig said that, “A project like this could spiral to millions (of dollars).”

Some faculty and staff however, were more concerned over the lack of consultation they had before a decision was made to leave. In addition, they were also concerned over the potential disruptions that the closure would cause to the university’s community.

“I feel that the people do not understand that this is a center and an institution and it will be incredibly disruptive to leave it,” said Professor Jean Conde. In addition, “We (the faculty and staff) were left out of the decision making process.”

Samuel Johnson, program director for Administrative Services Credential and Master’s Program, brought up his experience with a seismic retrofit. When he mentioned that the project to replace San Mateo High took four years, several faculty members sitting in the back of the ballroom audibly groaned.

Other faculty members voiced their opinion saying that they did not believe the problem was as bad as it is being portrayed. Some even volunteered to stay in the building if it meant signing a waiver.

In both instances, Dr. Greig reiterated her initial statement: “This problem is serious. There are liability issues if we allow people to continue to work in this building.”

One faculty member suggested that funds for the apartment renovations be diverted to fixing Ralston Hall instead. While the idea was feasible, it was ultimately shot down by Dr. Greig.

While there has been previous seismic studies of all the buildings on campus, Dr. Greig stressed that they were just that, in the past.

“I do not want to focus on what may, or may not have been done in the past. But we are here now and this is what we need to do,” she said.

One of the most visible issues with the building that is in the public view is the Blue Dining Room. A level mirror on the wall shows the large disparity and tilt the room has acquired. The rate in which the room is moving has been observed to be accelerating over the past few months.

With special events being a major part of Ralston’s current operations, the University, “is seeking patience and understanding of those with reservations…as we feel it necessary for their safety,” according to the press release. However, as of November 16, the university was still planning on throwing the staff holiday party in the mansion’s ballroom.

As a multiuse facility, there will be losses to the University’s bottom line. While that exact amount is not yet known, Dr. Greig said that, “While it is not a major revenue stream to the school, it is an important one. But it is a very real thing we have to face.”

With the mansion having the designation as a Federal and State Historic Landmark, the costs to renovate and save the structure will be significantly higher than a modern one. A delicate balancing act must be performed to save historic architecture and shore up the structures dilapidated foundation.

State and federal dollars could be tapped into for the retrofit and renovation of the structure. In addition, grassroots fund raising efforts are beginning at the university level.

The mansion was originally built as the country home for William Chapman Ralston. A Businessman in San Francisco, Ralston grew his immense fortune by being the financier of the famous “Comstock Lode” in Nevada.