Spring Break
Former East St. Louis Center facility faces sale or demolition
Zach Groves, News Reporter
Issue date: 2/8/07 Section: News
SIUE is offering a historic East St. Louis building for sale for just a single dollar.
The building may be in danger of being torn down if no one steps up to claim it from SIUE.
However, there is a catch.
"The problem is the cost to renovate the building to an alternative use exceeds a million dollars just for the asbestos abatement," Administration Assistant Vice Chancellor Richard Walker said. "After they clean up the building, the developer would still have the cost of remodeling for their purpose."
Walker said the costs would vary, depending on what the developers want to build. On top of that, they would need to follow the city's rules for project development.
The university still owns the old eight-story hotel, the former home of the East St. Louis Center, but no longer uses it, according to Walker.
Walker said the university is trying to give it away because while the state is required to take it, the law indicates that someone else has to own it.
"Whenever the university no longer needs a piece of property, they have to return it to the state," Walker said. "The state has said it won't accept it unless some other organization (takes) the building."
Located near the 5th and Missouri Street Metrolink station, the building problem has been taking place for at least the past five years when SIUE moved the East St. Louis Center to the East St. Louis Higher Education Center.
Walker said he has received at least a "dozen phone calls" from developers who showed a slight interest since then, but has not officially attracted a buyer.
He said once someone takes on the building, SIUE will no longer have to worry about maintaining it.
"As far as the university is concerned, we really root for the dollar," Walker said.
Prior to the university's use for nearly 40 years, it served as the Broadview Hotel from 1928 to 1957. Walker said SIUE purchased the building in 1978 for $750,000
Facilities Management Director Bob Washburn said the university leased the building for five years before buying it and paid an average of $150,000 a year to maintain the building and an estimated $60,000 annually for the building's utilities.
The building may be in danger of being torn down if no one steps up to claim it from SIUE.
However, there is a catch.
"The problem is the cost to renovate the building to an alternative use exceeds a million dollars just for the asbestos abatement," Administration Assistant Vice Chancellor Richard Walker said. "After they clean up the building, the developer would still have the cost of remodeling for their purpose."
Walker said the costs would vary, depending on what the developers want to build. On top of that, they would need to follow the city's rules for project development.
The university still owns the old eight-story hotel, the former home of the East St. Louis Center, but no longer uses it, according to Walker.
Walker said the university is trying to give it away because while the state is required to take it, the law indicates that someone else has to own it.
"Whenever the university no longer needs a piece of property, they have to return it to the state," Walker said. "The state has said it won't accept it unless some other organization (takes) the building."
Located near the 5th and Missouri Street Metrolink station, the building problem has been taking place for at least the past five years when SIUE moved the East St. Louis Center to the East St. Louis Higher Education Center.
Walker said he has received at least a "dozen phone calls" from developers who showed a slight interest since then, but has not officially attracted a buyer.
He said once someone takes on the building, SIUE will no longer have to worry about maintaining it.
"As far as the university is concerned, we really root for the dollar," Walker said.
Prior to the university's use for nearly 40 years, it served as the Broadview Hotel from 1928 to 1957. Walker said SIUE purchased the building in 1978 for $750,000
Facilities Management Director Bob Washburn said the university leased the building for five years before buying it and paid an average of $150,000 a year to maintain the building and an estimated $60,000 annually for the building's utilities.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Elise A.
posted 2/08/07 @ 9:22 AM CST
Who do you even contact about buying the building?
James Drummond
posted 4/09/07 @ 10:48 AM CST
I would like to know if the Former East St. Louis Center facility is still for sale and who do I contact?
Alonzo Hodges
posted 3/21/09 @ 11:31 AM CST
I wanted to know if the building was still on the market for a dollar and who would I have to contact to get more information
Free Russian Single
posted 3/24/09 @ 4:10 AM CST
This is a fantastic article! But, either I'm blind, or you son't seem to have much information
Redenbaugh Grunder
posted 6/21/09 @ 2:50 AM CST
Very interesting site. Hope it will always be alive!
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