Here are excerpts of letters received by Gov. Bill Graves about his pending decision on the fate of three houses in the 1300 block of Ohio Street.

Jill Comcowich: “I lived in the scholarship hall system and can tell you the experience was central to the successful life I have now, but I wouldn’t have wanted it at the expense of history or a sense of community in a neighborhood.”

Juanita Strait: “I am in my 90s and am deeply concerned about fires in these properties, not to mention vagrants and undesirables who may be around the houses. … I appeal to you to order the properties demolished.”

Diane G. Yeamans: “The scholarship houses under consideration by Kansas University can be placed anywhere. Nothing is magical about having them placed in the 1300 block of Ohio.”

Bill Gadberry: “To be honest, Gov. Graves, in any other sensible city with rational thinking people, these houses would have long been gone and replaced with something of substance. They would have been replaced with a true asset to the neighborhood and community and city.”

Twyla Bogaard: “KU isn’t going to be diminished one little bit by NOT tearing down those houses but Lawrence, Kansas, is going to lose a lot.”

Don and Barbara Roehl: “That section of … Lawrence and particularly this block, is long past saving. Where was the Oread Assn. or a similar group when these residences were still salvageable?”

Traci Fullerton: “As a KU alum and employee, I believe the demolition and subsequent building of student housing is not a beneficial use of state or university resources in such tight economic times.”

Nancy Leak: “In addition to the asbestos, and the leaded paint used in previous years, it seems to me to even think of restoring them to their olden grandeur days would be a prohibitive expense, even for the University.”

Darlene and Bill Naff: “Why can’t (the university) restore them? That is history, and we hate to see that destroyed.”

Megan Johnson: “The houses that would be demolished are in extremely poor condition and certainly do more to take away from the atmosphere of the area than would new scholarship halls.”

Pat Hannon: “Any action that impacts negatively on the historic heritage of our city is detrimental to all who live here. One of the reasons that more and more people choose to move to Lawrence is the attraction of our historic neighborhoods. Far from razing these houses, they should be saved and renovated.”

Tom Devlin: “As an Oread Neighborhood Assn. member, I am tired of the association telling other people what they can and cannot do with their own investments. … hopefully we can infuse some construction money into the economy by building a new scholarship hall.”

Fred Sack: “I’m not against the scholarship hall. I’m against taking down the neighborhood to do it.”

Lance Burr: “The most common contention of persons that want to demolish part of our cultural heritage is that the buildings are unsound. I believe in every instance that argument was made … it proved to be untrue.”

Dan Schriner: “I would ask you to side with the university and make way for progress, growth and change that will benefit many students fighting financially to complete their education. As you well know, it is getting tougher and tougher to get through college without incurring substantial debt.”

Bill Mitchell: “I hope that you will leave the (state historic preservation officer’s) ruling in place, thus drawing the university’s attention to the need for giving more than lip service to historic preservation.”

Tom Harper: “It is my hope you will oppose the requested destruction of these homes by KU. It will change the neighborhood significantly, and we will lose the rich history they offer our community.”