Say It Ain’t So! Is this the end of Hineygate as We Know It?

St. John’s Also Scheduled for Demolition?

Rumors are flying throughout Buckeye Nation today that the Holiday Inn on Lane Ave. has been sold to Ohio State real estate affiliate Campus Partners and will be used as student housing. Columbus Business First reported in December that the owners of Holiday Inn on the Lane had signed a letter of intent to sell the property to Campus Partners.

While there is no word on the future of the Ohio State game-day tradition known as Hineygate, It is hard to believe that the party would continue in its traditional form in the parking lot of a university supported student housing facility.

There is also talk that the university is planning on tearing down the historic St. John’s Field House and ice rink to make way for an undergraduate student area. While again, I have no confirmation of this, according to the Business First article referenced above, Ohio State is planning a renovation of five campus dorms which will begin in 2011.

For those of us who have been away from Ohio State for a while, this comes as yet another drastic change to our beloved campus. And yes, while the old South High Street was long overdue for some urban renewal, those of us who came of age in Mean Mr. Mustards and Papa Joes (or the Oar House, or the Southberg, or the Mine Shaft, or the Travel Agency, or Spring Break, or…I could go on and on like this…) Ohio State is becoming a campus which fewer and fewer of us recognize.

While the new development looks very nice and yes, it was needed, it also looks very generic. South Campus now looks little different than any of a number of shopping districts filled with chain restaurants which can be found on college campuses throughout the country. At least the Stube lives on (please tell me the Stube live’s on!).

St. Johns however, is nothing short of hallowed ground. The halls of St. Johns echo with history and although the commercially named Schotenstein center, with it’s corporate licensed seats and luxury boxes, has rendered this classic arena somewhat obsolete.

There was something special though about walking through the corridors of St. Johns and looking at all the old team pictures and Heisman Trophies. My wife’s grandfather loved to take us to basketball games and no game was complete without a trip to see photos of old family members who once played in that legendary arena.

There is no question the halls of St. Johns echo with the ghost of glories long forgotten to time.

Finally, at least some traditions live on…The Columbus Dispatch has a story today about The Varsity Club celebrating it’s 50th anniversary.