Tag Archives: Bradley University

Bradley University

Bradley to temporarily lease Campustown space

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It turns out the rumors were true: Bradley is going to lease considerable space in Campustown for offices and classrooms (not a bookstore). However, it’s only going to be for a few years while they’re renovating Westlake Hall and constructing the Engineering and Business Convergence Center.

Here’s the full press release:

Bradley to lease two Campustown locations

Peoria, IL (January 13, 2010) – Bradley University will lease two locations in the Campustown Shopping Center to provide faculty office space during upcoming campus construction projects.

Property previously occupied by Blockbuster Video and Sav-A-Lot grocery will be converted to temporary space for educational offices and classrooms during the expansion and renovation of Westlake Hall. That construction is expected to take more than two years.

“We are looking forward to making this move so that progress can continue on restoring historic Westlake Hall,” said Dr. Joan Sattler, dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences. “The temporary inconvenience of this relocation of offices and academic support to Campustown will be well worth it when the University realizes the great benefit of the transformed Westlake.”

The use of the Campustown locations as transitional space for faculty and staff will allow the University to complete the new Alumni Quad and west campus landscaping earlier than planned. The University had previously intended to relocate faculty and staff from the College of Education and Health Sciences to Haussler Hall, but that plan changed once space became available in Campustown. Haussler Hall will be razed after members of the Athletic Department move from there to the new arena later this year.

Bradley will undertake an analysis of space in both Campustown locations to determine how they can best be utilized. The Sav-A-Lot site has 20,100 square feet and Blockbuster totals 6,020 square feet. The grocery closed on January 3 and the video store was shuttered in November. Bradley will have both properties under lease on February 1.

The University expects to continue to use the Campustown locations for transitional space once the Engineering and Business Convergence Center is under construction. No timetable has been established for that project.

The $22 million expansion and renovation of Westlake Hall, one of the University’s original campus buildings, will transform the facility into a modern academic building with 85,000 square feet of academic space, while retaining its classic architectural features. The transformed building will be six times larger than the original and the addition will rise to four stories, rather than three. A glass atrium will allow unique views of the historic clock tower from inside the building.

Westlake Hall will be home to the College of Education and Health Sciences and the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service. The project is one of six in the $150 million Campaign for a Bradley Renaissance. Launched in April 2008, the Renaissance Campaign has amassed more than $125 million to date.

Bradley University, City of Peoria

Campustown Save-a-Lot to be leased to Bradley?

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Here’s what we know for sure: Campustown developer David Joseph already has another tenant lined up to replace Save-a-Lot, and it’s not a grocery store. Other than that, no one will comment for the record. So the question on everyone’s mind is, “who will the new tenant be?”

Over on Billy’s blog, one commenter suggests it will be an Ashley Furniture store. But in WEEK-TV’s news coverage, the manager of the Save-a-Lot tells a different story:

The Save-A-Lot store manager says the building won’t be empty for long, and he is hearing that it could be replaced with a Bradley bookstore.

I have heard Bradley rumored as a possible tenant from several sources — although they don’t all agree on what exactly Bradley will do with it. Possible uses run the gamut from a bookstore, as WEEK suggests, to offices, to an education center. I wrote to Bradley’s public relations rep — former Journal Star editor Shelley Epstein — but my inquiries have not been answered. Read into that what you will he’s out of town and unable to answer me until he gets back Sunday or Monday.

If the rumors are true and Bradley is going to be Campustown’s largest tenant, is that good or bad for the West Bluff? Let’s weigh the pros and cons.

Pros

  • Bradley would be a stabilizing presence in Campustown. Presumably, security would be increased, which will make the area safer.
  • Since Bradley isn’t buying the space, but rather leasing it, the city will continue to collect property tax revenue. And since the Campustown TIF ended this year, the property taxes will go back to the local governments again, and the city’s portion will go into the general fund.
  • More students and/or employees of Bradley going to school and/or working at Campustown may increase business for the remaining retail stores and restaurants.

Cons

  • The city will lose sales tax revenue. If the store is converted to an office or education center, no sales tax revenue at all will be collected. If it’s converted to a new Bradley bookstore, the old bookstore would likely close, so there would be a net loss in commercial square footage, which translates to a net loss in sales tax revenue.
  • A quality commercial anchor would better serve the West Bluff. As Campustown was originally conceived, a grocery store was supposed to provide basic infrastructure to the West Bluff that would be convenient for residents and an attractive amenity for people considering a move into the neighborhood. Thompson’s/Sullivan’s were excellent tenants toward furthering that vision, but Save-a-Lot (being a low-end grocer) sent a different message. While acknowledging that Save-a-Lot was a poor choice for a commercial anchor, the way to improve Campustown would be to bring in a better grocer, not convert retail space to institutional.

From the city’s standpoint, there’s no question that the cons outweigh the pros. They’re going to lose money. Sales tax is the city’s bread and butter. In an effort to keep property taxes low, the city has been piling up sales taxes and fees to cover the rising costs of public works, public safety, and developer incentives.

It’s not as if the city couldn’t absorb the loss of Save-a-Lot’s tax revenue by itself. But this isn’t an isolated incident. There seems to be somewhat of a trend in retail outlets and residential properties being taken over by non-tax-producing entities. For example, the old K’s Merchandise was taken over by OSF. The old Damon’s restaurant in Riverfront Village was taken over by Heartland Partnership. The old Leath Furniture was converted to a church. And huge swaths of land and houses that used to be on the property tax rolls have been taken over by District 150 for various building projects — or, in the case of the Prospect road properties, expensive blunders. In the case of District 150, taxpayers get hit with a double-whammy: we have to pay millions to acquire the properties, plus we lose the revenue they produced. The city can’t sustain such a trend without compensating growth.

From a neighborhood standpoint, the problem with Campustown has always been crime. The place has a reputation for being unsafe, and until that changes, you’ll have a hard time getting tenants to locate there and you’ll have a hard time getting patrons for those tenants. If Bradley’s presence were to reduce crime in Campustown, I think most residents would see it as a net gain for the West Bluff. Conversely, if Save-a-Lot is gone (and, despite its faults, the store was serving the needs of some lower-income West Bluff residents) and there is no increase in safety in return, that will certainly be a net loss for the area.

Bradley University

Les sees 60% raise over two years

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I heard about this Bradley Scout article from Mazr via Billy’s blog. The article is mainly about how Joanne Glasser is one of the highest-paid college presidents in Illinois, but both Mazr and Billy picked up on Bradley Basketball coach Jim Les’s jaw-dropping salary of $419,414 (including benefits) for the 2007-08 school year. That’s just $1,586 shy of the college president’s salary.

What really floored me, though, was this: “Two years earlier, Les earned $262,905.” That means Les’s salary increased $156,509, or nearly 60%, in just two years. This raise coincides with Bradley’s NCAA appearance in 2006, when they made it to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1955. I presume the NCAA berth and his salary bump are connected.

It sounds like a lot of money to me, and I find it strange that the basketball coach would be on equal salary terms with the college president. It gives the impression that athletics and academics are of equal value. However, Les’s salary was actually quite low compared to other NCAA Division I coaches, according to this USA Today report from 2006. Before his salary bump, Les was one of the 20 lowest-paid coaches. At that time, 17 coaches made over $1 million, and 33 made over a half million.

I can’t find a recent salary comparison, but I would assume Les is making a respectable average salary among coaches in his division now. Is he worth it? I’ll let those who follow basketball more than I answer that question.

City of Peoria, Peoria County

Sigma Nu suit against Van Auken, Rand and Ruckriegel dismissed

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On October 1, Associate Judge Katherine Gorman dismissed without prejudice the trespassing lawsuit brought against Second District Council Member Barbara Van Auken, District 4 County Board Representative Andrew Rand, and City Historic Preservation Commissioner Sid Ruckriegel by the Sigma Nu Fraternity and Caleb Matheny.

While the ruling allows 28 days for the complaint to be refiled, attorneys representing Sigma Nu and Matheny stated Monday that they will not pursue the matter further.

“We have consulted with our clients and they have elected to not amend the complaint within the 28 day period,” Attorney Jeffrey R. Hall stated. “Since the lawsuit was filed, they met with Bradley University officials and have become satisfied with the results of that meeting. While they filed a lawsuit to speak out against the unexplained behavior and trespass of private property on the part of Ms. Van Auken, Mr. Rand, and Mr. Ruckreigel, they feel satisfied with the dialogue that resulted with University and City officials.”

When asked for her reaction to the ruling, Van Auken said, “I think the actions here speak for themselves.” Rand and Ruckriegel could not be reached for comment.

The lawsuit stemmed from an incident that occurred in the early morning hours of September 20, 2008. Van Auken was attending a dinner party when she received a call from a constituent complaining about noise coming from the Sigma Nu Fraternity, 1300 W. Fredonia Ave. At about 12:30 a.m., Van Auken, Rand, and Ruckriegel walked over to the fraternity and confronted the students. Alleging that Van Auken was drunk and trespassing, fraternity members called the Peoria Police on her. Van Auken was not ticketed, but then-president of Sigma Nu, Caleb Matheny, was given a citation for violating the city’s noise ordinance. The citation was later dismissed.

In March 2009, a little more than five months after the incident, Sigma Nu and Matheny filed suit for trespassing, and alleged that Van Auken abused her power as a council member. The suit was filed during the heart of Van Auken’s reelection campaign to the City Council. Despite the negative publicity, including the release of an embarrassing video clip of the incident, Van Auken easily won reelection. Lawyers for Sigma Nu said at the time that the lawsuit was not political, and the delay in filing was due to the city being uncooperative in providing information requested through the Freedom of Information Act.

Circuit Judge Stephen Kouri recused himself from the case; no reason was given. The case was then assigned to Associate Judge Katherine Gorman. Gorman disclosed at a September 21 hearing that she had a connection to Rand. Court documents did not specify what that connection was, but Hall stated that, “based on what she [Gorman] related in court on the record, that her husband has served on a committee of some sort with Mr. Rand in the past.” Gorman’s husband is Dr. Jim Hubler, an emergency medicine physician at OSF St. Francis Medical Center. Rand is the Executive Director of Advanced Medical Transport, the city’s ambulance provider. The hearing was continued until October 1 to allow time for the plaintiffs to confer with their clients on the matter. It appears that the connection was a non-issue, as no objection was filed.

Hall believes the outcome was a positive one for his clients: “Even though the lawsuit was dismissed, we feel the process has benefited the Gentlemen of Sigma Nu, Caleb Matheny, and all Bradley students because they finally were allowed to have a voice. And, we can confidently say that Ms. Van Auken, Mr. Rand, & Mr. Ruckriegel will not set foot on Sigma Nu’s property without first obtaining permission from this point on.”

Bradley University

Bradley parking deck “too far” for some students, teachers

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My wife happened to pick up a copy of the Bradley Scout while walking through campus the other day, and this article on the new five-story parking deck at Main and Maplewood caught my attention:

Parking deck isn’t used to full capacity

The Main West Parking Deck is a year old, but it isn’t being used to its full capacity.

The deck, located on the corners of Main Street and Maplewood Avenue, was built in August 2008 for commuter students, faculty and staff with a valid permit, said Charmin Hibberd, director of Conference Facilities and Parking.

But Hibberd added that the deck isn’t being fully used.

She said the current construction on the Athletic Performance Arena, occurring directly next to the parking deck, is likely deterring students, faculty and staff from the area.

“People are leery of walking through there, even though there is a sidewalk and it’s safe,” Hibberd said.

She also said some students and faculty have told her they think the deck is too far from the buildings they visit most often.

The article goes on, but I couldn’t get past that last sentence. The deck is “too far from the buildings they visit most often”? What buildings are they visiting? From the parking deck to the opposite corner of campus is about a quarter of a mile. Considering the average person walks about three miles an hour, that represents a five-minute walk at most. How much closer do these students and faculty expect to be able to park? Is walking up to five minutes from your car to your class really that inconvenient? Or have college students just become so lazy and auto-dependent that they can’t travel more than a few feet on foot nowadays?

No wonder obesity is on the rise on college campuses.

Crime

Van Auken video clip released

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This hit my inbox at lunchtime:

Members of the Peoria news media:

The law firm of Hall, Owens & Wickenhauser, LLC recently filed suit on behalf of the Bradley chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity against Barbara Van Auken, Andrew Rand and Sid Ruckriegel [Peoria County Case 09 LM 329]. Soon after the suit was filed, members of the media and concerned Peoria residents inquired about video shot during the incident that gave rise to the suit. In response to these inquiries, we are today releasing a portion of video and two stills from that video.

Attached please find an approximately nine second segment of video shot during the incident September 20, 2008 at Sigma Nu fraternity involving City Councilperson Barbara Van Auken, then County Board electee Andrew Rand and Sid Ruckriegel. Also attached are two stills from that video.

From left to right in the video are Mr. Ruckriegel (standing behind and to the right of Ms. Van Auken), Ms. Van Auken (foreground), and Mr. Rand. On the far right is a member of Sigma Nu.

In the distant background is the Fiji, or Phi Gamma Delta, fraternity house. The lettering is illuminated. Please note that the sound of crickets is audible.

Aaron T. Wickenhauser, for the Firm
Hall, Owens & Wickenhauser, L. L. C.

[flashvideo filename=http://peoriachronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/Video/BVA1_F6_512K.flv /]

vanaukentrespass

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Bradley University

Bradley alcohol policy put to test

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I first saw the report on the Journal Star’s website last night that over 60 people — most of them Bradley students — were ticketed at an underage drinking party near Bradley’s campus. This morning, the paper reports that two-thirds of them were Bradley athletes.

Forty-four were listed on the rosters of Bradley athletic teams, including men’s cross country, soccer, baseball and tennis, and women’s tennis, softball, cross country and track and field.

After the deaths of two Bradley students last year, the university stated it was really going to crack down on underage drinking, not so much because it’s illegal, but because it had become a safety problem and was hurting the university’s image. So they came up with an “action plan” that was implemented in April of this year. Now we’ll get to see how effective the university’s Comprehensive Alcohol Action Plan is, especially for student athletes:

Student-athletes found to be in violation of these guidelines will be subject to penalties imposed by the Head Coach and/or the Director of Athletics. Penalties will be in addition to those imposed by the University and/or the Court of Law.

I will be interested to hear what penalties the Head Coach and/or the Director of Athletics imposes on these 44 student athletes.