Future of tea house uncertain

By Sam Fran Scavuzzo
Collegian Editor
January 23, 2008

Six months after the dismantling of the Japanese Tea Ceremony House, no plans have been announced for the building.

“It’s just sitting vacant, as far as I know,” Vice President for University Advancement Brian Elderton said. “We put it on hold… the intention was to dismantle it and relocate it. I know at one point there was an interest to use it for something else.” 

Additionally, no word has come on the status of the tea ceremony program, which formerly was used to instruct students and others on the process of Japanese tea. 

According to Provost Dr. Richard Nigro, the school is in talks with Urasenke New York, the headquarters for tea ceremony on the east coast. 

Since the tea ceremonies ceased, the university has communicated with La Salle Tea representatives from the former tea house about a new location. Initially, it was proposed to move the program to the Art Annex on the Peale Property. Representatives from the tea house rejected that claim for numerous reasons, including a lack of electrical needs and space constraints. 

In October, Nigro and Elderton attended a meeting with the Urasenke organization in New York. A letter from the university followed in December communicating ideas for the future of the tea house. No response from Urasenke has occurred since the letter. 

A potential problem in brokering a deal, could be an intense financial cost, according to Morgan Beard, former La Salle Tea House teacher.

Reasons as to why no movement on the former facility has occurred were unable to be expressed by the university. 

A rumor that business affairs would take the location for office space was denied by Matthew A. McManness, vice president for business affairs.  

Associate Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Dr. Margaret McManus, Associate Director of Facilities Management Joseph A. Birster and Director of University Communication Joseph Donovan declined comment, directing all inquiries to Elderton and Provost Dr. Richard Nigro. 

However, Elderton’s involvement with the tea house began in the fall – after the dismantlement – thus certain questions surrounding the initial rationale for the move were outside his knowledge. 

Nigro was contacted and agreed Jan. 10 to meet for an interview Jan. 22 — the date of Collegian’s deadline. He was unable to meet prior to that date. However, due to unspecified complications, Nigro had to postpone.

Originally, La Salle cited space issues as the rationale for moving the program; this occurred despite the acquistion of Germantown Hospital.

“[That property] is heavily occupied with medical related businesses that have leases,” Nigro said in a Sept. 17 Collegian article (“Tea Party’s Over,” p.1). “The real estate action took place, but some of the property won’t be available for three, four, five years.” 

Blame for the stalled movement of the tea house is being cast in both directions. 

“I really think it is up to the folks at Urasenke as to whether they want to pursue having it here or not,” Elderton said. “So until we hear back from them based on the letter, I don’t know how they are predisposed to this.” 

Urasenke has yet to reply to the provost’s letter and has not responded to Collegian inquiries.

However, Beard puts the decision on the university. 

“Do they have a real interest in bringing back the tearoom?” Beard said. “Only they can answer that for sure.” 

scavuzzos1@lasalle.edu