Here’s what we know, and don’t know, about the future of Lindenwood’s Belleville campus
Six weeks ago, Belleville aldermen authorized city officials to buy the Lindenwood University-Belleville campus for $3 million.
Lindenwood bought the campus at 2600 W. Main St. from the city for $1 in 2003 but announced in May 2019 that it was stopping its full-time student program.
Along with the campus on West Main Street, the $3 million price tag includes the former Harmony School site off at 500 Wilshire Drive. Lindenwood had bought this site for $1 in 2014 but demolished the former school in 2016.
Since the City Council voted on Aug. 2 to give city officials the green light to buy the former Belleville West High School campus, few details about the purchase have been released to city residents.
Here’s what’s known, and not known, about the city’s plans:
How will the city cover the $3 million pricetag?
Mayor Patty Gregory said a state grant has been approved by a committee to pay for the purchase but, “We are waiting for it to be released.”
Kathy Kaiser, the public relations and communications manager for the city, declined to say which state agency would release the grant. She sent a statement by email to the BND.
“The City of Belleville has already disclosed all information pertinent to the purchase of Lindenwood University at the present time,” her statement said.
Jordan Abudayyeh, a spokeswoman for Gov. J.B. Pritzker, has not released information about the grant despite three requests from the Belleville News-Democrat for more information about it.
Who or what will move into the campus?
City Attorney Garrett Hoerner said on Aug. 2 the city is in the “preliminary planning stages” of finding someone to take over the site.
The city has not released details since then.
Gregory seems to have a solid idea who the new tenant or owner might be.
“I think people are going to be very happy,” Gregory said of the city’s plans.
Besides the $1 purchase price, what has Lindenwood invested in the property?
Gregory has said the St. Charles, Missouri-based university has made improvements worth a total of $42 million. The BND has requested an itemized list of those investments but neither the city nor the university have released such a list.
Since taking over the campus in 2003, the college has built two dormitories, converted a former hotel into a dorm and renovated multiple buildings.
Julee Mitsler, director of communications for Lindenwood University, has not released details about the improvements and neither has Kaiser.
Will the city lease the site or sell it?
Hoerner said last month that it had not been determined whether the site would be leased or sold, and a decision has not been announced since then.
Do we know the date when city officials will announce their plans for the Lindenwood campus?
No. Gregory said last month she had hoped the information could be released within a couple of weeks, but Kaiser said Thursday that the city is still not ready to reveal its plans to the public. She said a closing date has not been set.
This story was originally published September 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
