by Scott Thompson, Staff Writer

About 2,000 pieces of office and conference furniture, chairs, bookcases, theater seats and other furniture have been claimed and redistributed to Fort Leavenworth, city, state and federal organizations throughout the area. Lamp photo by Prudence Siebert.

When the tenants of Bell Hall vacated the building for their new confines in the Lewis and Clark Center, they left behind memories and something more tangible – about 8,000 pieces of furniture left behind in the move.


That furniture is now being redistributed to Fort Leavenworth, city, state and federal organizations throughout the area.

As of this week, about 2,000 pieces of office and conference furniture, chairs, bookcases, theater seats and other furniture have been claimed.

Presently, about 40 organizations have inquired about or laid claim to furniture.

About 30 or those organizations are here on post. Others staking claim include the Dwight D. Eisenhower Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Leavenworth; Fort Riley, Kan.; Fort Hood, Texas; the Kansas National Guard; Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Mo.; and the city of Leavenworth.

Of the 1,400 theater seats available from Eisenhower Auditorium, all but about 300 have been allocated. Nettie Hartnett/Ben Day Elementary School in Leavenworth will receive 800 of the seats and Immaculata High School in Leavenworth is receiving a couple hundred, said Rick Blanchard, Bell Hall furniture project manager.

Organizations claiming furniture are required to supply their own labor and transportation.

Upon receiving the items, organizations receive a hand receipt. Rules and regulations dictate what types of items can be given away and to whom.

The approximate value of all assets dispersed will exceed $1 million, Blanchard said.

Organizations seeking furniture have no price tag, however.

Blanchard estimates that 90 percent of the furniture is in “good to great condition.” Conference tables, leather chairs, leather couches and other executive-type furniture are still available, Blanchard said.

“A lot of it is furniture that the organizations would never be able to afford on their own,” he added.

On Dec. 1, the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office takes control of Bell Hall.

“We’re trying to redistribute as much as possibly by Dec. 1,” Blanchard said.

Sometime after Dec. 1, DRMO will hold an auction to sell the remaining pieces of furniture. The auction will be open to the general public.

In August 2015, the keys to Bell Hall will be handed over to the demolition contractor. Any remaining items left in Bell Hall will go down with the building, Blanchard said.

“That’s why we’re trying to get rid of as much as possible prior to that happening,” he said.

Organizations may inquire about claiming Bell Hall furniture by e-mailing rick.blanchard@us.army.mil.