Belmont's Ralston Hall renovation put on hold

NDNU has faced financial and enrollment challenges of late, prompting at least one of the donors to pull out.

“One of the donors told us directly that it’s much more important for the university to stabilize financial enrollment than renovate a building,” Greig said. “The other donor felt the project was moving too slowly and we didn’t get clarity on his rationale [for withdrawing donations].”

In a letter sent to donors in December, Greig said the board of trustees may revisit the project by 2021.

“In the meantime we’re focused on fundraising, stabilizing the university and bringing in restricted funds to support student scholarships,” she said.

There has also been some discussion about reducing the scope of the project, but no decisions have been made, she added.

Belmont Vice Mayor Warren Lieberman said he’s hopeful the project will get back on track in the near future.

“We all know it’s an extraordinarily expensive project and I would say we’re all hopeful NDNU can find the resources to do the work and bring it back to a status where it could be used and be an asset to the community,” Lieberman said. “We’re all hopeful resources can be found to do justice to what a wonderful landmark it is.”

Built in 1868, Ralston Hall became the home of the College of Notre Dame in 1923 and eventually housed the university’s administrative offices until its closure in 2012. Over the years, the campus grew around Ralston Hall while it served as a community asset with an estimated nearly 40,000 people using the grand ballroom and facilities for events such as weddings, conferences, dinners, operas, musicals and more, Greig said in the past.

The building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a California Historical Landmark.

“The house is of great historic significance, it’s one of the most famous structures in San Mateo County and we hope some kind of solution can be derived,” said Mitch Postel, president of the San Mateo County Historical Association. “People feel [the delay of the project] is too bad and wish it could somehow be solved.”

Postel said the building was initially home to Italian nobleman Count Leonetto Cipriani before William Chapman Ralston, founder of the Bank of California, bought it in 1864. Ralston expanded the residence from a two-story villa to a 55,000-square-foot mansion.

“1864 was the year the railroad was completed so he became one of the first suburbanites in the West because he lived in the country and commuted to the city to work. It was the beginning of the legacy of San Mateo County,” Postel said. “The house is significant because of its architectural significance and because Ralston was a major player in San Mateo County. The home opened up Peninsula suburban history and the suburban history of the West.”

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