A large graffiti message, "I miss the trees" was painted across the newly constructed retainer wall under the front of WMU's East Hall Wednesday night.

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Massive graffiti in stylized lettering declaring "I miss the trees" appeared Thursday on a retaining wall built along the east side of Western Michigan University's historic East Hall.

Trees and brush have been cleared from the hill on the side of the building facing Davis Street and downtown, part of a project to demolish some of WMU's original East Campus buildings and renovate East Hall for a new alumni center.

WMU spokeswoman Chery Roland said landscaping crews on Thursday morning alerted police to the graffiti on a concrete retaining wall built between the building and hill.

The graffiti in tall, neat, Banksy-style letters appears to have been done painstakingly. "It's done really well," said Alissa Bailey, as she walked her dog nearby Thursday.

Roland said early Thursday afternoon in an email that WMU crews would "cover it for now with tarps or something similar, rather than spend money to remove it." By mid-afternoon, tarps had been hung.

"Ultimately, that retaining wall will be covered with brick. We also will be installing more lighting in that area and increase public safety patrols of the construction site," Roland said.

Claire Busfero, who has lived across the street since 1959, isn't happy with the retaining wall or that the hillside has been cleared of trees.

"I think that it all is terrible," Busfero, 70, said. "You can't see the door or the steps, that's the unique(ness) of it," she said of East Hall. "They took that all away. That wall is hideous.

"The trees were beautiful, and when the leaves were off you could see right up there."

Nate Smith, who also lives nearby, said he is glad the university is renovating East Hall, but he isn't pleased the trees were cut from the hillside.

"I really dig ... that somebody went up there and made a statement out of it. 'Cause this is on everybody's minds that walks by this every day -- and I miss the trees, too."

Roland said one of the reasons the trees and vegetation were removed from the hill is to make East Hall to more visible to the community.

"The original landscaping was designed to offer a clear view of East Hall from downtown and a wonderful view from East Hall as it looks out over the Kalamazoo community," she said. "We want the community to enjoy those same views again."