When John Wiley moved into the University of Wisconsin-Madison chancellor’s residence in 2001, the house built in 1911 was in such bad shape he kept a fishnet by his bed to catch bats.
He had to install an air compressor to push water through the ancient pipes to the second floor so he could take a shower. And he was often kept awake at night by the clanking of steam radiators and sound of mice running inside the walls.
Now the house is in stellar shape thanks to a $2.4 million privately funded renovation that Wiley made possible by moving out for two years. His successor, Biddy Martin, is moving this month into a comfortable, energy-efficient home.
Just as Wiley fixed up Olin House, he transformed the UW-Madison campus by helping oversee its largest building boom in 40 years and elevate its status as an international research powerhouse.