The WKU and Bowling Green communities voiced concerns after the university released plans to renovate the interior of the historic Cherry Hall.

The renderings, released on May 1, show a modernized Cherry Hall. Construction will begin over the summer and is not expected to conclude until fall 2027.

Over 600 comments streamed in across social media, many expressing disapproval of the planned changes. 

“Why are we taking away everything that makes Cherry Hall unique & special??” @mcy77 commented on Instagram. “It’s a beautiful piece of our WKU history.”

Comments on WKU’s Facebook post held similar sentiments.

“As an alum, this is super disappointing,” Natasha Breu Fernandez commented. “Renovate without compromising its historic charm!”

The Cherry Hall renderings also sparked two petitions, one with more than 800 signatures and another with more than 30 signatures. 

Both petitions stress a loss of history and character if Cherry Hall is remodeled to what the renderings show.

Messages like “Cherry Hall deserves better” and “try again WKU” appeared in chalk around Cherry Hall and The Commons after the plans released.

The Herald created a survey for community members to give feedback on the Cherry Hall renderings. Of the 101 responses received before publication, 63.4% said their view was strongly negative. 27.7% said negative, while 5.9% felt positive. Only two respondents reported feeling strongly positive about the renderings.

“It looks…nice, if I didn’t understand the significance of Cherry Hall,” said Claire Wathen, a student who categorized their view as strongly negative.

Jeff Budziak, the associate dean of PCAL, said in an email to the Herald that he is excited to see Cherry Hall be renovated.

“People, me included, love many things about the building,” Budziak wrote. “But I am excited to see how we can keep many of the things we love—the stairs, the marble, the handrails, the bell tower, the whole façade, many of the interior historical touches, etc.—with all the new things that will help improve the experience in the building.”

History Professor Patti Minter said there are aspects of Cherry Hall that need a “glow up,” but it should not be done at the expense of Cherry Hall’s historical significance. 

“In a world that changes so fast that we don’t understand it, sometimes we need things that make us feel good that show us that institutions matter and that they persist,” Minter said.

Minter served on the Board of Regents during Van Meter Hall’s renovations in 2008. She said the administration should renovate Cherry Hall the way they renovated Van Meter Hall.

“Do it the same way that we did Van Meter (Hall) by preserving the historic elements and its purpose,” Minter said.

Minter also said the Cherry Hall renderings have worried the local historical preservation community.

The Landmark Trust issued an open letter Monday to WKU President Timothy Caboni and the Board of Regents urging them to revise the proposed plans to remodel Cherry Hall’s interior and stop the proposed Faculty House demolition.

The non-profit corporation advocates for the “preservation, protection, and maintenance of the architectural, archeological, natural, and cultural resources of Bowling Green and Warren County, Kentucky,” the letter states.  

“As an institution of higher learning, WKU should outshine us all in embracing its past while adapting to modern needs,” the letter states. “Unfortunately, WKU’s proposed stripping of Cherry Hall’s historic integrity and outright annihilation of the Faculty House are the opposite.” 

In the letter, Landmark Trust offers its services to support Caboni and the Board of Regents as they finalize plans.

“As seasoned historic preservationists and museum professionals, we know well how to rehabilitate historic buildings while respecting their soul,” the letter states. “And, if necessary for the Faculty House, we are also one of the few organizations in the region with experience in moving historic structures.” 

Landmark Trust Board Member Tommy Hines said while he agrees Cherry Hall could use an update, the proposed plans would make the building lose its character and nostalgia.

“You can’t wipe out the old completely,” Hines said. “You can’t leave the old completely either. They’ve got to go hand in hand.”

Eric Reed, a history professor and Cherry Hall renovation committee member, said he saw several issues with the renderings.

“The glass class classrooms are just a really bad idea,” Reed said. “I’ve heard that from faculty, I’ve heard that from students, I haven’t heard anybody supportive of the idea.”

Reed also said there are unreleased plans for faculty offices. According to him, the offices are smaller, many without windows.

When asked about the office plans, Budziak said, “The layout of the new building is not totally finalized.”

Reed said he was unaware that the plans were not final.

University Spokesperson Jace Lux provided the Herald with a statement from WKU President Timothy Caboni on Tuesday. 

“Cherry Hall is a cherished part of our campus, one that holds deep significance to me and thousands of other alumni around the globe,” Caboni wrote. “I appreciate the passion so many have for this iconic building – and I wholeheartedly share that sentiment.”

“The design reflects a careful and thorough process, shaped by meaningful contributions from faculty, staff and students. Above all, our top priorities have been preserving Cherry Hall’s defining historical characteristics and adapting the space to support today’s academic needs and foster meaningful student engagement. We have also focused on restoring many of the building’s original features that were lost in past renovations – including removing drop ceilings and temporary walls, reinstating the original ground-level rear entrance and returning the front windows to their original appearance.”

“I encourage everyone to remember that renderings are not final plans — they are meant to provide an illustration of broad design concepts, and we will continue to update the campus community as plans take shape. We remain confident that the final result will honor the spirit of Cherry Hall while preparing it to continue serving future generations of Hilltoppers.”