Lindenwood sells former student homes, apartments in Belleville to real estate firm
Lindenwood University has sold more than 50 homes and apartments it owned near its Belleville campus for about $4.45 million, according to St. Clair County property records.
The homes and apartments had been used by Lindenwood University students until the college ended its program for full-time undergraduate students last school year.
The university sold 57 parcels in four transactions on March 2 to House Sold Easy Properties LLC, according to property records with the St. Clair County Recorder of Deeds.
A representative of House Sold Easy Properties LLC could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
After the Lindenwood transactions, House Sold Easy Properties LLC transferred ownership of the sites to other companies, including BHT LLC of Bartlett, Tennessee, and Belleville Lynx 106 LLC of Yorba Linda, California. Representatives of these two companies could not be reached for comment.
Julee Mitsler, a spokeswoman for the St. Charles, Missouri-based college, said in an email Wednesday that the school had sold more than 50 properties but she did not release the name of the company that bought the properties or the sales price.
Mitsler described the buyer as a “real estate acquisition company.”
The transactions on March 2 did not include the buildings on the former Belleville West campus at 2600 W. Main St. or Lynx Lodge, a former hotel converted into dorms at 2120 W. Main St. Lindenwood University was still listed as the owner of these sites, according to county property records on Wednesday.
When asked about selling the campus site, Mitsler said Lindenwood “is considering opportunities to sell this property in the future.”
Many of the homes sold by Lindenwood on March 2 were purchased by the college in 2015.
For example, the home at 2011 W. A St. was purchased by Lindenwood for $99,900 on July 15, 2015.
Residents who live near the former Lindenwood homes have said the homes were modified to fit more students and that kitchens were removed. The kitchens would have to be replaced if the new owners want to sell or rent the homes.
Since Lindenwood is classified as a nonprofit organization, it did not pay property taxes on the homes and apartments it bought for students. The new owners will now be required to pay property taxes.
The former Lindenwood homes were on several streets, including West Main, West A, 21st, 27th and 29th.
Lindenwood enrollment
Lindenwood announced in May 2019 that it was ending its daytime undergraduate program at the conclusion of the 2019-20 school year.
Mitsler said the Belleville campus has 36 students in five courses for the spring 2021 semester.
Before the college ended it undergraduate program, the Belleville campus had over 1,200 undergraduate students and 165 graduate students.
The college is accepting enrollments for the fall 2021 semester, Mitsler said.
“Following the consolidation, this site now provides access to academic programming, primarily to adult learners in the Belleville, Illinois area. Students who are enrolled in classes at this site can engage in in-person instructional activities and coursework,” Mitsler said in her email.
In May 2019, Lindenwood said it was losing $2.5 million to $3 million annually at the Belleville campus.
Belleville sold the former high school campus to Lindenwood for $1 in 2003. The college has said it spent more than $25 million in improvements, including building new dorms and renovation of existing buildings.
The city also committed to give Lindenwood $3 million through TIF funding in 20 annual payments of $150,000.
This story was originally published April 1, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
