Nicole Spewak
News Editor
Tensions are mounting between Wheaton College and Glen Ellyn School District 41 over the Wheaton-owned East Campus property, home to the building purchased from Scripture Press.In early March, District 41 announced its intent to acquire the property to build a new junior high school on the site.
If Wheaton College will not accede the land through negotiations, the District is prepared to pursue the legal measure of eminent domain to take possession of the property.
“The (Board of Education) feels there is a clear need for the land and may pursue the property through all appropriate means,” the District said in a recent e-newsletter.
An online article from the Wheaton College Media Center said the college “will vigorously defend itself against any attempt by the District to take its property by eminent domain and encourages the District to reconsider its course.”
The property in question currently houses a Wheaton faculty art studio, a campus maintenance workshop, warehouse storage for library archives and equipment and space for the Community School of the Arts. Wheaton athletic teams and intramural sports use the property’s fields.
Dale Kemp, vice president for finance and treasurer, said in an email to Wheaton faculty and staff, “The East Campus is key to our long-range plans and strategic goals, which could include leveraging the property for undergraduate and graduate academic uses, athletic facilities and student housing.”
District 41 has been looking for a suitable location to build a new school for the past two years. Due to overcrowding within the established schools, the District believes it necessary to add another building, as it seeks to provide students with a “21st-century education.”
“The Board of Education is considering this option only as a last resort after many years of wrestling with significantly overcrowded schools,” Julie Worthen, District 41 director of communications and grants, said in an email.
The search for a suitable property began in April of 2011.
“The College Avenue property was the only viable parcel to emerge from that process,” the District e-newsletter said.
Worthen said that the property fit the bill because it “is large enough and is well-located within the west-central portion of the district, which was also an important consideration.”
So far, the District has set aside $3 million of its reserve funds to go toward payment for the Scripture Press property.
Wheaton College dismissed this number in a press release, saying it “shows a significant undervaluation of the property.”
Wheaton’s estimate of the property’s value, based on a recent land purchase, stands at more than $20 million.
District 41 does not expect to pay less than market value. “The board believes it has sufficient money in reserve to pay the fair market price for the property,” Worthen said.
Wheaton also finds the District’s intentions as potentially monetarily harmful to both parties, a press release said.
Worthen said that “the district has budgeted for anticipated legal fees” involved in the eminent domain process.
Both parties staunchly affirm the strength of their positions in the impending legal situation.
The Media Center article stated, “In addition to being unfair, the District’s proposal is unwise. Wheaton College has significant, unique legal protections by virtue of its charter from the state of Illinois, as well as federal and state religious freedom rights.”
On behalf of District 41, Worthen said, “The law allows for the eminent domain process in those instances where the public good outweighs the interests of a private property owner. Having examined every other option over the course of several years, our research leads us to believe that we would have a good chance if the matter went to eminent domain.”
The Board of Education has a meeting scheduled for April 8 to authorize an offer to Wheaton College. If the College does not accept the offer of sale, the District is then prepared to invoke eminent domain.
Photo Credit: Brooke Greene
Printed in the April 5, 2013 issue of The Wheaton Record. Send comments to the.record@my.wheaton.edu.