Tag Archives: Bradley University

Bradley University, City of Peoria, New Urbanism, West Bluff

Bradley University’s Plans for 2025-2026

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If this video is blocked for any reason, you can click here to watch it on YouTube directly.

Bradley University recently presented their annual conference where President Shadid gave a 30-minute presentation. You can see the whole thing above, although the format is a bit weird on Zoom during the first part–but then you’ll see the PowerPoint presentation eventually.

I’m especially interested in two sections:

A. Bradley wants a “front door.” (9:00-10:36)
President Shadid claims that Bradley has no “front door” to the campus, even though they built a front door in the late 80s and early 90s when University south of Main was turned into a big S-curve with a large entrance and three large “Bradley University” entrance signs with landscaping and flowers. Turn onto St. James, and you drive right through the center of campus with Bradley Hall ending up as the terminating vista. Not clear how changing the “front door” to Main and University works or is more attractive, or what happens to the old “front door.”

Now he wants to tear down the brick building on the southwest corner of the Main and University intersection, and instead erect two archways over Main Street:

We have moved to this concept below where we would have a defined entry where we’d have an archway over Main Street that says Bradley University. That we would have an archway the other way over University that says Bradley University. And in between those two archways, we would have a landscaped and walkway entry into our our campus to clearly define where and who we are.

But does it? The archways are over the perimeter streets of Bradley, whereas the current “front door” is in the center of campus. Also, if it’s just pedestrian, then it’s just for “looks” for drivers coming in to visit or bring their children for move-in. Why not just tear down the brick building and then put one “Welcome to Bradley” archway on that corner at a 45-degree angle that everyone can see and points them directly into campus?

B. Perimeter of campus is unattractive and needs improvement (13:18-15:14)

President Shadid says: “This is the campus perimeter. Our campus perimeter does nothing to help us attract students. Now, that’s as simple as I can say it.”

That’s interesting of him to say, since the map shows the red lines as the “campus perimeter.” This perimeter includes the brand new Business and Engineering Convergence Center (BECC) at Main and Institute, the new Renaissance Coliseum, and the five-story parking deck that replaced all the beautiful Maplewood homes; it includes the front door that leads people through the center of campus right up to Bradley Hall at University and St. James. Is he that unhappy with all that newer (some very new) construction? Why does he think it does “nothing to help attract students”?

On the negative side, it also includes a gravel lot at Bradley Ave. and Clarissa that was supposed to be turned into new student housing 15 years ago (or at least be paved), and the Kauffman building that was razed recently and is a very unattractive property now.

Oh, and how could I forget the old Avanti’s that they have done nothing to keep in good condition at minimum or rent out to another restaurant or desired tenant. This is particularly noteworthy because the next thing he does is show additional slides that are basically New Urbanism-type examples of construction with mixed-use (e.g., restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores, retail outlets, etc. on the main floor with living arrangements above them) that he would like to see the City encourage being built along Main toward downtown.

The dotted lines that you’ll see on Main Street and University there are what city hall has agreed to help us do, and … city hall is prepared to do their best to help develop Main Street to make a more attractive and vibrant air urban area around this campus for our students to be able to wander off the campus, have a great environment and yet be safe.

I actually am in favor of that idea. I just wish they would set the example of what they say they desire by working with the City to sell the old Avanti’s building to a good, City-supported new owner that will repair or recreate such a mixed-use building on that property. It will be the closest property to the university faculty and students to use, and would provide the kind of beauty he says he wants. Besides, Avanti’s is not the “front door” to Bradley University; it’s the front door to the Uplands neighborhood.

Here’s the obvious answer to this speech: Bradley should focus their work, budget, and improvement on the area within their Institutional Zone (the area zoned N1). That means that his plan to turn the gravel lot into pickleball courts or tearing down the brick OLLI building and putting up a pedestrian entrance to campus (as I described it) is fine–no problem. But outside of the N1 zone, Bradley should collaborate with neighbors and the City and find solutions that are best for all organizations.

Arbor District, Bradley University

Bradley finally responds re Arbor District

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Bradley University has officially stated that they know nothing about the property consolidation in the Arbor District and are not the owner or beneficiary of the properties that are held in a confidential land trust. Interim Bradley President Jon Michael (four days before the newly chosen James Shadid was to take over as President), Vice President of Student Affairs Nathan Thomas, and Vice President for Finance and Administration Betsy Hull all specifically stated that Bradley is not in any way part of the specified trusts: Tate Properties Land Trust, Two Brothers Land Trust, FMD Land Trust #1985. They also stated Bradley had “no plan to expand the campus” westward.

These high-ranking officials from Bradley University visited the West Bluff Council at the March 2025 meeting. They were coming to tell the West Bluff what they’re planning to do with the old Avanti’s property, just minutes before releasing the same information to the press. Since they were available to question, the opportunity was taken to ask them about another topic: if they were involved with the Arbor District property consolidation. They had not responded to multiple email inquiries on the question. Since their answer is that they are not involved, one wonders why they didn’t just respond to the question via email. However, their denial of involvement was recorded in the West Bluff Council minutes.

Good to hear they are not involved, assuming they’re telling the truth. Now we must wonder what the Tates’ plans are for the acquisition and confidential ownership of this consolidated property.

Arbor District, Bradley University, Business, City of Peoria

Whither goeth the Arbor District?

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The Arbor District is an historic neighborhood in the West Bluff bounded by West Main Street on the north, Western Avenue on the west, Bradley Avenue on the south, and Bradley University on the east. It has had its share of challenges. In the 1980s, the widening of Western Avenue made the housing facing Western less viable due to higher traffic volume, higher speeds, and less buffer between the houses and the street. So the neighbors decided to establish the Western Avenue Greenway Project, which purchased and razed the houses that fronted Western and replaced them with a linear park. Then in 2007, Bradley University wanted to expand their campus for additional parking, so they purchased all the homes along then-Maplewood Avenue (now AJ Robertson Circle and Clarissa Ct.), razed them, and put up a five-story parking garage to the north and a gravel lot used for parking and open-air storage of building materials to the south.

There are now about 116 improved properties left in the Arbor District, but not many are owner-occupied anymore. Bradley University owns six properties in the Arbor District, one of which they recently razed after letting it fall into disrepair. Ideal Rentals owns a few and rents them to Bradley students. But after Bradley’s campus expansion in 2007-8, Perry and Leslie Tate started buying up homes as they came on the market and putting them into land trusts. Today, they own 73 properties (about 63% of the homes), which they rent to Bradley students under their University Properties company. The acquisition cost of the properties is over $8 million.

Rental properties are an important market segment, and there’s nothing wrong with having some rental properties in a neighborhood. But when the rental properties outnumber the owner-occupied homes, and when they are predominantly rented by students who only stay a few months at a time and are constantly changing, you start to lose neighborhood stability. But the bigger issue here is that you have a single owner consolidating properties in a small, defined area. This opens up concerns that the properties are potentially being assembled for another purpose, and that the rental of them is just to bide time until all properties are acquired.

Adding to this suspicion is the fact that the properties are being put into land trusts. Land trusts are essentially non-profit organizations that actually hold the title to the property. It’s a private legal agreement that specifies a grantor (or owner), a grantee (or beneficiary), and a trustee. This means that in property records, you don’t see the name of the owner as specified by the private agreement–you only see the land trust as the owner. The land trust name and the trustee are the only public information available.

What this means is that the actual owner of the property can be changed without any public disclosure. All that has to be done is for the private legal agreement–the trust–to be amended. In public property records, it will still say that the trust owns it, but you’ll never know that the owner specified in the private trust document has changed. This makes it easy to transfer ownership of property with complete anonymity.

And it means that we don’t really know who owns 63% of the Arbor District. Nor will we know if that ownership ever changes hands as long as the trust holds title to it. And that anonymity and uncertainty makes the remaining homeowners in the Arbor District nervous.

Why? Because Bradley University has already expanded their campus into the Arbor District just 16 years ago and would be the most likely entity to want to acquire the rest of the neighborhood for future expansion. I reached out to Bradley and Perry Tate/University Properties and asked if Bradley was part of the trust that holds title to these properties, but received no answer from either organization.

The trustee for the Arbor District properties is William R. Kohlhase. He’s a partner at Miller, Hall & Triggs, LLC, with offices in downtown Peoria. Their published client list includes Bradley University, but not University Properties. That doesn’t prove anything, but it does fuel speculation and neighborhood concern.

I provided all the information I gathered on this issue to the local media, but they haven’t deemed it newsworthy, apparently. In the 1960s, a time when newspaper reporters were more curious, a reporter for The Sentinel Star (now The Orlando Sentinel) in Florida started to notice large tracts of land being purchased by land trusts. Rumors began to swirl over who might be the real owner of the land. Was it a car manufacturer? A space engineering firm?

Eventually, all the clues pointed to a California company: Walt Disney Productions. And on November 15, 1965, Disney made its official announcement that, yes, they were the ones who were the real owners, and that they would be building a new theme park in Florida: Walt Disney World. The reason they had kept their identity a secret was to keep land prices low. If landowners found out Disney was the interested party, they likely would have raised their prices.

It’s not unreasonable to speculate that something similar is happening here, although not as exciting as a Disney theme park coming to town. Who’s the mystery owner of two-thirds of the Arbor District? What plans are in store for it? Why all the secrecy? Why no comment from Bradley University? If you have any information on this, please let me know in the comments below, or email me directly.

Bradley University

Bradley University Should Sell Avanti’s Property

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In January 2023, Bradley purchased the Avanti’s property at University and Main for $690,000 according to Peoria County property records.

Bradley does not need property on the north side of Main. Bradley is on the south side of Main. What value does the Avanti’s property bring to Bradley? It will require either rehabbing or razing the property, and then it will require ongoing upkeep and potentially police monitoring (if they turn it into green space).

The stated reason for the purchase was to remove blight (Avanti’s is blight?) and make a more attractive entrance to campus. But that isn’t the entrance to campus. The entrance to campus is south of Main on the University S-curve where they have a beautiful stone sign with landscaping that was put in back in the 1990s.

The only reason the property would be of any real value is if Bradley wants to acquire more property on the north side of Main for future expansion. But that would decimate one of the oldest and most stable neighborhoods on the West Bluff: The Uplands.

If you want to see what Bradley expansion does to a neighborhood, look no further than the Arbor District, where Bradley razed all the houses on Maplewood and put up a five-story parking deck across the alley from residents on Cooper St. That resulted in most of the homes being converted from owner-occupied to rental housing. It’s not in the City’s best interests (nor Bradley’s) to destabilize yet another bordering neighborhood.

In July, Bradley announced in a press release that it has a $13 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2023. Jobs are going to be cut. Programs have already been cut, and there will likely be more coming. It’s hard to see how the Avanti’s purchase did not contribute to this problem.

Part of the reason they are in financial dire straits is because they spent too much on another property–the business and engineering convergence center that replaced Jobst Hall, which cost more to build than they were able to raise. They are only exacerbating their financial woes by acquiring more property they cannot afford.

Alumni of Bradley have recently received direct mailings requesting donations to The Bradley Fund, something they describe as “our primary way for Bradley alumni and friends to grow and strengthen the university through their annual support.” Why would alumni give money to a university that buys property they don’t need at a time when they’re millions of dollars under budget?

No, I don’t think any alumni should give Bradley any money until they show some fiscal responsibility. The convergence center is already built and financed, and it’s a part of campus, so there’s no way to get any money from that. But Bradley could recoup their losses from acquiring Avanti’s.

A good-faith display of the university’s efforts to right the ship and show alumni they’re trying to be good stewards of their money would be to sell the Avanti’s property. Admit that it was a mistake to purchase it. Acknowledge that they can’t afford it. Sell it. Sell it now.

Crime

Bradley student commits suicide (UPDATED)

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This is the only information I have currently. It’s a press release from the Peoria Police Department:

On Sunday, December 02, 2012, at approximately 1137hrs, the Peoria Police Department responded to a report of a possible suicide of a Bradley University student at [address redacted for family’s privacy].

As officers were responding they were advised by the caller that their roommate had killed himself. Upon officer’s arrival, a 22 year old male victim was found shot inside his locked bedroom. The male had been shot one time. At this time the investigation indicates that there was no indication of foul play and this does appear to be a suicide.

UPDATE: Bradley University President Joanne Glasser has released a statement to the “Campus Community”:

Dear Campus Community,

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you news of the passing of Bradley University senior John Battistoni. John passed away Sunday morning at a residence [near campus]. The cause of death is being investigated; there is no indication of foul play.

John was a construction major in the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction and a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. He was from LaGrange, Illinois.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to John’s parents, Richard and Grace; his entire family; his fraternity brothers and all of his friends at this most difficult time. A date and time for his funeral and memorial service have not been established. We will share those details when they become available.

Counseling Services are available for students who need assistance at 309-677-2700 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. After 4:30 p.m. and on weekends, please call 309-677-3200 for any assistance.

With deepest sympathy and prayers,

Joanne K. Glasser

Bradley University, City of Peoria

Students complain of broken promises at Main Street Commons

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Bradley students and nearby residents of Main Street Commons, the new student apartment complex at the corner of Main and Bourland, have something in common: disappointment.

The Bradley Scout reported earlier this month:

Last year the apartment complex was announced as a new housing option for Bradley students and many were excited about the promises of free tanning, a swimming pool, furnished apartments, private bathrooms and flat screen TVs.

Roommates Jori Lee and Shabre Jones, both juniors, said they noticed differences between what they were told and what they actually got.

“They didn’t have a lot of the things they promised,” Lee said. “We’re going to have to use our own money to buy a router for internet when it seemed like WIFI was going to be everywhere in the building.”

Nearby residents have also noticed differences between what they were told and what they actually got. For instance, the artist’s rendering of the building showed an all-brick exterior, but what was actually put up was fiber cement siding made to look like a mix of brick and lap siding. No one was expecting it to be used partially as a freshman dorm, either.

Bradley University

Main Street Commons to include freshman dorm

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The Bradley Scout has been doing a good job of following the progress on Main Street Commons, the apartment building that is being erected on the site of the old Walgreen’s on Main Street, across from Campustown. The project was originally sold to neighbors as an upscale apartment building for upperclassmen, graduate students, and young professionals. They also optimistically predicted that they would have 100% of the units leased by November 1, 2010.

Well, things haven’t been going so well. In late November last year, the Scout reported that “the company hoped to have all 188 units leased by Nov. 1. Now nearly three weeks have passed since the deadline and only 40 units have been leased.” In January, the Scout postulated that the building “isn’t renting at the pace investors had hoped” because “the $659 per person rental price sticker shock is likely a culprit.”

One of the investors is none other than Bradley University. Bradley won’t say specifically how much they’ve invested in the project, but Vice President for Business Affairs Gary Anna said back in September, “The preliminary stage of the project is $12 million, and we gave less than 10 percent of that.” So they’ve invested an amount not exceeding $1.2 million.

Last month, more bad news: More than half the units were still not leased. Nevertheless, officials with the project still expressed optimism that all the units would be leased by the time the building opens. Bradley’s Vice President of Student Affairs Alan Galsky was quoted as saying, “We would like to see the whole building filled with Bradley students. If not, Main Street Commons is prepared to fill it with other students staying in the Nexus Fostering Norfolk centers such as medical students and graduate students. It is very important that students know that the building is option for them, and is a very good one, in fact.” The article continues:

Galsky said in the event that the complex is unable to fill with Bradley students, he is unsure how on-campus housing will be affected.

“By the end of the month we will know how many have decided to stay in residence halls or move off-campus,” he said. “Once those numbers are in it will be a better indication. We are hoping that freshmen and sophomores move to Main Street Commons. If enough students move out into Main Street Commons there wouldn’t be an issue [in residential halls].”

That brings us to this month, and a new “study” Bradley is undertaking:

As part of a student developmental study, Bradley has extended the opportunity to incoming freshmen to live at Main Street Commons.

Vice President of Student Affairs Alan Galsky said 40 incoming students will be allowed to live at Main Street Commons in a very supervised situation. […]

Students who choose to participate in this opportunity will sign a 12 month lease with Main Street Commons and will still be able to purchase a dining hall meal plan.

All participating students will live on the same, co-ed floor, along with a residence advisor and assistant residence advisor.

“[Students living on the floor] will have the same rules and regulations as there are in the residence halls,” Galsky said. “There will be two students to a suite and same gender roommates.”

I asked Dr. Galsky via e-mail how Bradley’s investment in Main Street Commons and the fact that the rooms there are not being leased as quickly as hoped contributed to Bradley’s decision to allow freshmen to live off-campus at Main Street Commons. He responded:

Bradley’s investment was not a factor in the decision to allow freshmen to live in Main Street Commons. Instead, the University sought to devise a study to determine if freshmen could have a “true” residential living experience in an off-campus up-scale facility under similar conditions that exist in the residence halls, including having a Resident Advisor and Assistant Resident Advisor. This study is of interest to Bradley from both a student affairs/student development perspective and an enrollment management /marketing perspective. Program and activities for freshmen will be offered, just as in the residence halls.. This is being done as a one-year developmental study, and the University intends to collect a myriad of data that will help assess the students’ satisfaction and engagement as well as the overall success of the study.

A couple of things struck me about this answer. First, I have a hard time believing that Bradley’s investment “was not a factor” in this decision. I can totally believe it was not the main factor, and certainly that it wasn’t the only factor, but not a factor at all? That’s hard to accept. Secondly, he didn’t address the second part of my question (“…and the fact that the rooms there are not being leased as quickly as hoped…”). I think it’s pretty well established from earlier reports that Bradley wants Main Street Commons to relieve crowding in the residence halls, so it seems reasonable that, in the absence of enough upperclassmen choosing to relocate there, they’re looking for other ways to get Bradley students out of on-campus housing.

The inclusion of freshmen at Main Street Commons raises a couple of other questions. One, how does this affect the ability to lease the rest of the apartments to upperclassmen and young professionals? I mean, if you’re a young professional, would you want to lease an apartment in a complex that doubles in part as a freshman dorm? I put these questions to Jennifer Dunbar, marketing and leasing director of Main Street Commons, via e-mail, but she hasn’t responded to my request for comment.

Two, how do the neighbors feel about the inclusion of freshmen in this project? I asked University East Neighborhood Association (UENA) Vice President Conrad Stinnett for his comments. He said that his chief concern is that the project keeps changing. For instance, he sent me an e-mail the UENA received this February from Thomas Harrington, one of the developers of the project, in response to their concerns. Here’s one of the questions and answers:

[Q:] The residential aspect of the project was originally presented as high scale apartments that, while marketed to students, were open to the public. We have recently heard you are implementing Bradley housing rules- same sex roommates, no kegs, Residential Assistants, Residents-only food court, etc. This sounds more like a dormitory. Has the concept changed? Are non-student residents subject to the same rules as student renters?

[A:] The concept for Main Street Commons remains as an upscale housing development targeted at the Bradley student population. As has been previously stated, all potential renters are welcome. The rules and policies that have been put into place apply to all residents equally and consistently and are different from Bradley’s.

Three months later, it appears this is no longer the case.

This is a mixed-use development, so in addition to the apartments, there is also a retail component. I talked to Harrington about the progress that has been made to get tenants for the three retail spaces that front Main Street. So far, no leases have been signed, but they’re close to securing a food use (i.e., restaurant) lease for one of the spaces.

Bradley University

Bradley names new men’s basketball coach

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From my inbox:

Geno Ford, the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year the last two seasons at Kent State University, will become the 13th head coach in Bradley Basketball history when he is formally introduced to the public during a noon press conference Monday in the Renaissance Coliseum arena.

The press conference will be open to the public and will be streamed live online at BradleyBraves.com. The Main Street Parking Deck will be open to members of the media and all attendees are encouraged to enter the arena through the Nick & Nancy Owens Atrium. The event also will be streamed live at http://www.bradley.edu/inthespotlight/story/?id=130731.

Ford replaces recently-fired men’s basketball coach Jim Les.

Bradley University

Main Street Commons update from Bradley Scout

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The Bradley Scout has been keeping an eye on the new Main Street Commons and how quickly the new student housing facility is selling leases:

More than half of the apartments at Main Street Commons have yet to be leased, but both university administration and Main Street Commons are still optimistic.

“I’m really excited about second semester,” said Jennifer Dunbar, the building’s marketing specialist and leasing agent. “We had a slow first semester. It’s hard to lease a building when you can’t give a tour.”

Of the 188 units available only 88 have been leased, which is about double the number of units that were leased in November.

…Even though Bradley is financially involved in the building, Vice President of Student Affairs Alan Galsky said he is hopeful and would be surprised if Main Street Commons isn’t completely filled by the fall.

“I am cautiously optimistic the building will fill up,” he said. “We would like to see the whole building filled with Bradley students. If not, Main Street Commons is prepared to fill it with other students in the area such as medical students and graduate students.”

Main Street Commons is the multi-story apartment building being constructed on the site of the old Walgreens on West Main Street.

Bradley University, City of Peoria, Peoria County

IPL tries unconventional approach to collaboration

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Word on the Street reveals that Bradley University’s “Institute for Principled Leadership [IPL] in Public Service” helped launched a rather unconventional City-County collaboration effort. In a surprising break from traditional negotiation, they didn’t tell the County Board anything about the endeavor. This simplified discussions considerably and was, by all accounts, non-confrontational. But the plan backfired when County Board members found out about it through the media. Rumor is that IPL will now have to resort to Plan B: communicating with all parties.

In a further effort to send mixed signals, they’ve dubbed the effort “PASS.” Yes. It’s an acronym that stands for “Peoria Area Shared Services.” (Here’s hoping Galesburg doesn’t attempt a similar acronym in their efforts to share services with Knox County.) IPL is now hoping that the County won’t pass on PASS after the PASS faux pas.