By LEAH WANKUM

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) – Restoring Selmo Park to its former glory could cost the university at least $2 million, according to an engineering assessment of the university president’s home.

Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company Inc. presented its structural assessment of the home to the UCM Board of Governors Monday in the Elliott Student Union.

The assessment covered the home, garage, gazebo, driveway and grounds. The board took no action on the assessment.

Selmo Park was built in 1866, and major renovations and additions took place after the university purchased the home in 1926. Flooding, sewer backups and mold resulted in the need for renovations.

Brian Snyder, associate structural engineer at Burns & McDonnell, said the house needs to breathe, meaning moisture must be able to enter and exit the building. Materials used in the renovations from 1997 traps the moisture inside, resulting in mold.

“This is modern technology, this is energy efficiency,” Snyder said. “This is quality work, but for this type of building, it wasn’t built for that.”

The $2 million estimate is more than the cost of tearing down and rebuilding a house at Selmo Park, and some board members suggested getting an appraisal of the house.

The board will meet again to consider this issue at 2 p.m. Aug. 21 in Room 237B of the Elliott Student Union.