Gaber receives new home

The UT Foundation purchased a new presidential house as incoming president Sharon Gaber is set to begin her new position.

The UT Foundation recently purchased the house at 2464 Forestvale Road in the Ottawa Hills neighborhood for $922,000, according to Matt Schroeder, the foundation’s chief operating officer.

Schroeder said the foundation has been planning on purchasing a new house for several years and with Dr. Jacobs transitioning out, it seemed like the perfect time.

“The advantage with Dr. and Mrs. Jacobs transitioning out at the end of June affords us the ability in the summer and early fall to put Levis House on the market for sale,” Schroeder said. “The advantage there is that over the next few months with that property being actively marketed for sale, proceeds from that sale will be applied to Forestvale.”

The house was purchased with private dollars provided by donors. The money earned from selling Levis House will also help to cover some of the cost, according to Schroeder.

The current presidential house, known as Levis House, is located at 3883 Bancroft St. and was appraised for $835,000 several months ago.

Schroeder said they chose the Forestvale house because it is a better venue to entertain donors of the university.

“Forestvale was built in the mid 80’s and has some renovations done by its former owners in mid-2000’s that facilitate whether it’s a small dinner party to a larger size reception, and done in a way that everyone can mingle and meet really in one room versus being segmented in different rooms,” Schroeder said.

According to the Lucas County Auditor’s Office records, the new house was built in 1984 and has five bedrooms, four full baths, and two half-baths. It is also 7,253 square feet, which is larger than the 6,457 square feet in the Levis House.

Schroeder also said the new house will help raise more money for the university as well as students.

“This one is a little more intimate and a little bit more designed to facilitate an environment that allows a donor to be comfortable and at the same time achieves the ultimate vision or goal coming out of the president’s office, which is to raise more private dollars to help ultimately offset the cost of tuition,” he said.

Jon Strunk, university spokesperson, said the new house will ultimately help the new president to make the university all around a better place.

“The money she is raising will be for scholarships, new facilities, renovated facilities, perhaps endowed professorships to attract top-tier faculty,” Strunk said. “These are real tangible ways in terms of helping students.”

However, some students are a bit skeptical about just how much a new house will actually change things.

“It is almost a million-dollar home,” said Crystal Brit, a third-year communications student. “I understand that it is being bought with private dollars, but at the same time I still think that it is an absurd amount.”

Brit said she feels the donors should put money into the students instead.

“Students need to be the top priority,” she said. “Instead of buying a bigger house, since they do already have a giant house, they should instead donate that just to the students to help them in their education, be it through scholarships or to upkeep the university.”