Save historic buildings

It is with great dismay and sadness that I read that the Greystone and Shivelbine houses may be demolished by the University. These are two very pretty, historical houses, and once torn down, gone forever, like so many other past beautiful, historical buildings/houses of Cape that were destroyed to make way for "progress."

I have a personal interest in the saving of Greystone. My grandfather, J W Gerhardt, a prominent citizen of Cape, who also designed and built the Southeast Missourian and several buildings for the university, built Greystone. My mother was also born there. She would have been 86 this year. Greystone had a swimming pool and was once a country club. I still have the brochure advertising it. My grandfather was in New York State and saw a beautiful Dutch style house located along the Hudson River. He was so impressed with this house that he designed his family home Greystone in the style of this house he had seen. Both of these houses are beautiful and a pleasure to look at, and the University wants to destroy this beauty. I also assume that they will cut down the lovely old trees as well, instead of incorporating them into the landscape.

I now live in London, England, where old buildings are restored and respected instead of being ruthlessly torn down. Or they are incorporated within the overall design of the new development. Why can't the University incorporate these two beautiful houses within their overall development of the site? Please don't allow the University to tear down these lovely houses, at least not without a fight. If there is anything I can do to help prevent their destruction, please let me know.

Christine Owen, London, England