From Nez Perce Drive, University House is a dark grey house surrounded by trees. Inside, the wide-open rooms and large windows create a space that anyone would love to call home.
Demolition of the previous residence known as the president’s house began in October 2017. Last Thursday, the newly built University House was opened to the public for its first open house event.
Brianna Finnegan | Argonaut
University employees viewing the University House for the first time Thursday.
“We made a purposeful effort to call it University House, because really it is the university’s house in which the president lives,” said Jodi Walker, University of Idaho spokesperson. “This house is intended to last for 50, 60, 70 years. That will be the length of time for several presidents to enjoy the space. It’s really more about what this means for the University of Idaho.”
The house, which cost nearly $2 million, was a project given to a Moscow construction company — Golis Construction — as well as Seattle architecture firm Zimmerray Studios.
Robert Zimmer, the head architect for the University House project, grew up in Moscow not far from the old president’s house.
“I grew up in the neighborhood. I delivered the newspaper to Dr. Hartung, who was the first resident of the old house,” Zimmer said.
Growing up nearby, Zimmer also did previous work for the university on the arboretum, which sparked his interest in working on University House.
Zimmer and his team used many parts of the old house inside the new one. The foundation and basement are both from the original house. Zimmer also used the same fireplace and some of the trees they excavated from the site to put shelves in the gallery space of the new house.
Brianna Finnegan | Argonaut
The fireplace from the old University House incorporated into the new design Thursday
“Through some research I did on my own, I learned that the architect that built the original house was given credit for saving George H. W. Bush’s life in World War II,” Zimmer said. “So, I thought, well we have a limited budget. If we could use the foundations, if we could use some parts of the house to help save costs and to carry on a story that the university is part of, that would be a good thing.”
While some students have noted the bizarre look of the house from Nez Perce Drive, Zimmer said it’s designed to look towards the arboretum.
“Nez Perce Drive side is the respective back of the house,” Zimmer said. “When you’re in here, it’s oriented towards the Shattuck Arboretum and you have a private front yard to entertain in. I think people who enter and view the home are surprised, yet they understand it.”
President Chuck Staben, who will not move in the house, made an appearance at the open house on Thursday and could be seen giving tours to faculty and staff.
“The average presidential couple probably won’t be so different from us,” Staben said.
Staben said that while he personally will not live in the house, he did include his own thoughts and concerns into the project through his family’s experience.
“We consulted pretty extensively on what would best meet the university needs and what would meet the needs of a presidential family,” Staben said. “For example, sizing things like the kitchen, the dining room and the living room. Also, some of the issues like the master closet being a very important component of the house for the convenience of that first family.”
While there is no official date for when the incoming presidential family will move in, Walker stated they would be moving in around the time they take office.
Brianna Finnegan can be reached at [email protected]