2008 Woodie Awards
Campus expansion consumes church
CASEY BRUCE
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Slow expansion across Midtown continues this year with the University's recent acquisition of the Berea Presbyterian Church and its property from Giddings-Lovejoy, Inc.
SLU purchased the Berea Church property in late August, just before the start of the fall semester, after being approached by the Giddings-Lovejoy company.
"The University decided to acquire the property after the owners approached us, desiring to sell," said Kathleen Brady, vice president of Facilities Management and Civic Affairs.
While the Berea Church seems inconvenient to students and faculty due to its location at the east end of campus, 3050 Olive Blvd., the property is quite convenient for use with the proposed new arena.
"The reason for the decision was because of the property's proximity to the site of the proposed arena," said Brady.
The property consists of a Church building, a parking lot surrounding the church and some additional land. SLU plans to display a "For Lease" sign soon to attract the interest potential leasers into renting the building. The remaining portion of the property surrounding the church will provide surface-level parking within walking distance of the new arena.
The acquisitions of properties will not stop in the near future, as SLU will attempt to further its expansion. The next property SLU will attempt to acquire is the old Fifth House property, located on Laclede Ave. close to the former Pasta House Company.
"The University continues to be actively trying to acquire the former Fifth House property. That property has been vacant and boarded for probably about 20 years," Brady said.
SLU thinks that there is a sufficient lack of centralized parking on campus, and if acquired, the Fifth House property will be used to create additional parking near the main campus.