The future of Morrill Hall is on shaky ground.

Lynn Seiler, associate director of facilities planning and management, said Morrill Hall needs work from top to bottom.

She said its future is based on finding money to fund renovations.

For over 100 years Morrill Hall has been used by Iowa State for many things, including a chapel, museum, library and an auditorium for fine arts events.

Since May 1990, Morrill Hall has been the headquarters for the offices of university relations and extension communications.

Morrill Hall first opened in 1891 as a chapel, museum, and library. The original cost of building the hall was almost $29,000.

The erection of Morrill Hall also enabled the university to provide for the zoology, entomology and geology departments by providing ample recitation, laboratory and depository rooms.

The basement was used as a gymnasium, and it displayed collections of natural history and fishes.

Morrill Hall has not had major renovations done since 1955. Since then, only minor changes have been made.

Melva L. Berkland, extension communication specialist, who works in Morrill Hall, said “the architecture speaks to the period in which it was built.”

Berkland also mentioned the impressive stained glass windows on the third floor.

In 1904, fire escapes were built. One year later, new seats were installed in the chapel, and a barber shop was put in the basement.

Four years later, the barber shop was removed to make space for an addition to the library.

In 1914, more changes were made, costing more than $3,000. In May 1922, additional braces were added to the roof. There were other renovations made in 1938 and in 1955.

Now, Morrill Hall contains only one department, extension communications.

John Anderson, associate director of university relations, said these offices will be moved to a new building in the former Pammel Court.

Once extension communications moves out, Seiler said, they will simply close down the building. “We’ll just lock it up until we make a decision,” he said.

Warren Madden, vice president of business and financing, said the decision of what to do with Morrill Hall will depend upon its funding source.

He said the university has included Morrill Hall on its list of renovation projects.

Currently, Seiler said the upper floors are unsafe.

He said their first concern is to make sure the people working in the building are safe.

Del Marks, communications specialist who also works in Morill Hall, said, “I think none of us feel like we’re in danger.”

Marks said he has mixed feelings on moving to a new building.

The renovation list for Morrill Hall will be presented to the Board of Regents in February