Meeting agenda reveals who will manage and use former Lindenwood campus in Belleville
Southwestern Illinois College is among the entities that will operate or use space on the former Lindenwood University campus, according to a Belleville City Council meeting agenda.
Other entities include the Illinois State Police, Southern Illinois Law Enforcement Commission and Southwestern Illinois Jets Basketball Club.
On Friday, a news release announced that Belleville City Council would hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. Monday to reveal the future of the complex on West Main Street in Belleville.
A city spokeswoman declined to give the names of involved entities in advance. But an agenda for the special meeting now lists four agreements to be considered in relation to what is termed the “City of Belleville educational campus” at 2300 W. Main St.
The agenda items read:
- Consideration of Intergovernmental Agreement with Illinois State Police for laboratory/classroom and ancillary educational space.
- Consideration of Lease with Southern Illinois Law Enforcement Commission for office and ancillary educational space.
- Consideration of Facility Use Agreement with Southwestern Illinois Jets Basketball Club for nonexclusive use of gymnasium and ancillary athletic space.
- Consideration of Intergovernmental Agreement with Southwestern Illinois College for management/operation of the campus.
Southwestern Illinois College is based in Belleville with satellite campuses in Granite City and Red Bud.
The massive brick complex that formerly housed a Lindenwood University satellite campus on West Main Street is owned by the city of Belleville. It has sat vacant for about two years.
The complex housed Belleville Township High School originally and later Belleville West before Lindenwood.
Contractors laid the cornerstone for the main Belleville Township High School building in 1916, according to the “History of Belleville, Illinois.” Several additions came later.
The school became known as Belleville West in 1966, when District 201 built Belleville East. Belleville West students moved into a new building in 2003. Missouri-based Lindenwood University bought the West Main Street property for $1, using the city as an intermediary seller for the district.
Lindenwood operated the campus for 17 years, expanding into the surrounding neighborhood, before pulling out in 2020, having revealed that the operation was losing money.
The city bought back the property for $3 million last August. Belleville Mayor Patty Gregory stated that the purchase price would be covered by a state grant, but local and state officials have repeatedly declined to provide details or verification.
The complex’s future has been the subject of widespread curiosity, debate, hope and concern. Gregory and her staff gave broad assurances that progress was being made on a redevelopment plan.
City Council members recently raised questions about expenses being incurred for such items as security and building maintenance.
“When we have everything finished with all the people that are contracting here, I think you’re going to be very pleased with what is happening there,” Gregory told them.
In January, the mayor announced that the city departments of Health, Housing and Building, Code Enforcement and Engineering and Economic Development would move their offices into the former Lindenwood complex.
