Cal U. president’s residence renovated to last
Renovations of the California University of Pennsylvania president's residence were completed in December. The renovations included new windows, HVAC system, a handicapped-accessible restroom and refinished flooring.
Interim president of California University of Pennsylvania, Geraldine M. Jones, and her husband, Jeffrey Jones, discuss the changes done to an upstairs room. A budget of $860,000 was approved by the Office of the Chancellor in October 2013. The State System provided $650,000 for the renovations, with the remainder coming from Cal U.
Interim president of California University of Pennsylvania, Geraldine M. Jones, and her husband, Jeffrey Jones, led a tour for the media in the newly renovated president’s residence on campus Friday, January 30. The couple moved into the residence shortly before the holiday season last year. The living room received new draperies, donated furniture from the Floyd R. Ganassi estate, new windows and other upgrades.
Geraldine M. and Jeffrey Jones discuss the changes to the library in the president’s residence on campus. A fireplace existed previously in the home but was covered over by a wall. During renovations, the fireplace was uncovered and a new facing for it was created.
CALIFORNIA – Visitors to the renovated president’s residence at California University of Pennsylvania will step into the historic building from a rear door leading into a foyer with a new white marble floor.
From there, a hallway opens to a stately house, updated from top to bottom, awaiting the appointment of a new president to lead the small campus with nearly 8,000 full-time students.
“It’s fairly eclectic, and that’s pretty much by design,” said Jeffrey Jones, husband of Cal U.’s interim president, Geraldine M. Jones, who oversaw the project that came in under its $860,000 budget in December. University spokeswoman Christine Kindl did not know the total amount spent on renovations.
“We wanted to make sure it will last,” Geraldine Jones said Friday while leading a media tour of the building. “It’s a privilege to be able to live here.”
The three-story brick mansion was constructed about 1897 for the school’s president, and attached to South Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus. The house was later subdivided to provide the school additional office space on its third floor.
The state System of Higher Education, which operates Cal U. and 13 other universities, authorized a $650,000 reimbursement for updating a president’s residence after one leaves office. Jones has been interim or acting Cal U. president since May 2012, when former president Angelo Armenti was fired, and she has expressed an interest in becoming the university’s next president.
The money spent on the project above the $650,000 state allotment came from the university’s education and general accounts, the interim president said.
Former faculty union president Michael Slavin said the house was allowed to deteriorate and that it needed a complete overhaul.
“When we started, we said, ‘Let’s do a refresh,'” Geraldine Jones said.
It hadn’t been updated for decades, however, and the building needed new windows and a new heating and air-conditioning system.
The renovations to the house came at a time when the school was experiencing an enrollment decline and 30 jobs were eliminated late last year.
Workers eventually replaced the house’s 33 large windows, which were given new interior draperies and treatments costing $57,000, selected by Geraldine Jones, she said.
The house’s four bathrooms were modernized, as was the kitchen. One upstairs bedroom was turned into a small home theater, while another was made into an office.
A large number of upholstered chairs and other furniture was donated to the house by the estate of Floyd R. Ganassi, whose daughter, Annette, serves on the Cal U. Council of Trustees. He was a Fox Chapel business owner and father of NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi.
“It’s very nice,” Geraldine Jones said, after a reporter asked her if the building is a palace. “It’s not …” she said.
Jeffrey Jones said he and his wife wanted to keep the house’s integrity intact.
“The walls are in great shape. The bones are really good,” he said.