James Robles / Staff Photographer / dr122106@ohiou.edu

A student walks by The Oasis on March 10. The popular restaurant on University Terrace and Park Place closed at the end of Fall Quarter.

Although The Oasis has been vacant for more than five months, Ohio University administrators might wait until fall before any decisions are made.

“The question, like so many things, is money,” said William Decatur, vice president for Finance and Administration. “I had hoped to take that up to the trustees in the spring, but it probably won’t be until next fall before we actively start to make some true progress.”

Decatur did not have an estimated timeline for a decision. The Facilities Planning Advisory Council is developing a 10-year plan to present to the Board of Trustees in June, and he was not sure if The Oasis would be included in the presentation.

“We have to gain input from people as far as what are the needs of our campus constituents,” said Howard Lipman, president of the Ohio University Foundation, which owns The Oasis. “We need to figure out what makes sense from a business standpoint. These things take time.”

Before any possible reopening, The Oasis must be renovated to repair damage from a leaky roof and water line break as well as fix outdated plumbing and electric systems. The renovations would cost an estimated $1.1 million and the new facility would operate at a 1 to 4 percent deficit for at least a year.

OU spends about $5,500 annually in gas and electricity to maintain The Oasis and the Chase Bank ATM, said Ron Chapman, director of energy management. When the building was operational, the annual operating cost of the facility was $68,239.

The university has a month-to-month contract with Chase bank to provide electricity to the ATM to the tune of $1,000 each month. Money acquired from the contract goes into The Oasis’ operating budget.

“Until it’s determined what is best to go in that place, there will be no type of renovations or updates,” Lipman said.

The Ohio University Foundation purchased the property in 2002 from the John L. Farley Living Trust for $592,250. The university leases the building from the foundation for an estimated $42,455 a year.

In mid-October, Dining Services submitted a plan to Decatur to remake the 102-year-old building into a combination whole foods and technology store, but other options are still viable. The building closed at the end of Fall Quarter.

“Our proposal is still on the table and more will show up,” said Christine Sheets, assistant vice president for Auxiliary Services. “We are out of the mix, and it’s literally out of our hands.”