Stetson University has started preparations for the removal of Stetson Hall with demolition anticipated to begin July 21.

Decorative wood trim from the building has been salvaged and used in Sampson Hall, and furniture that will not be used by Stetson has been donated to area non-profit organizations. Original bricks will be saved for future use in a plaque or monument about Stetson Hall.

The DeLand Fire Department will train at Stetson Hall from July 18 to 20, but the training will be limited to drills and will not include setting or extinguishing actual fires.

General contractor BACE Construction will be assisted by Samsula Demolition in the removal project, which is expected to take approximately 10 days to complete. The site will then be restored with walk paths, grass and shrubs, with completion planned prior to the start of the academic year on Aug. 25.

Stetson leaders decided earlier this year to remove Stetson Hall because of the building’s poor condition and other factors, including that most of its architectural significance had been lost during a 1946 expansion. Built in 1886 and expanded at the end of World War II, Stetson Hall sits in the core of campus and has been used for 125 years as a residence hall. The facility no longer adequately meets students’ residential needs. To preserve the historic record, Stetson is providing the state with documentation, including measured line drawings and archival photographs.

The property, adjacent to the Quad that went through extensive renovation of its landscaping and walkways in summer 2010, will most likely be used for an admissions center, an addition to the Carlton Union Building and possibly an academic building in the future.