The Wells Legacy Society is continuing to call on elected officials to save Wells College’s buildings and their contents from “irreparable harm” this winter.
The society has been requesting elected officials, including US Senator Chuck Schumer, US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Governor Kathy Hochul, intervene to prevent the college from shutting off heat and water to the buildings during the winter. If this happens, the society claims pipes could crack leading to damage to the buildings and the artifacts and collections contained within.
Karen Hindenlang is the Vice President of the Wells Legacy Society. She told Finger Lakes News Radio that time is running out to prepare the buildings for the winter.
“Time is of the essence at this point… This is going to be the degradation of these assets and they should be protected and they’ll be ruined if the heat is not put on this winter.”
Hindenlang claimed that she had spoken with former maintenance workers at Wells who informed her that it would take roughly a week to prepare the system for winter weather.
While leaks would cause immediate damage to any items near them, the society fears that leaks behind walls or unseen areas could cause lingering damage to the buildings themselves.
Hindenlang further asserts that communication between the society and college officials has broken down.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a lack of communication; it’s a refusal of communication.”
Over a dozen buildings on the campus are listed as part of a district on the National Register of Historic Places, including the 1890 four-story main building.
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