Bradley Expansion

[chitownBUB]

Why does the PJ Star continue to take an editorial opinion attacking Bradley for being secretive about its plans of expansion?
Am I missing something?
Hasn't Bradley openly informed not only the people in the surrounding neighborhoods, but also they have had open meetings for alumni and other interested persons to attend.
Plus, they have gone one by one to the property owners and presented their plans and offers, and most of the owners are apparently quite happy and selling at the offered price!
Then in today's paper they mention that BU is paying upwards of $500,000 per property, up to 5 times the value of the property.
Why if the private home owners want to sell for such a great price, then does the PJ Star feel it needs to get involved for the "community's good"?

Even one of the vocal opponents of the expansion by Bradley has caved and now sold out, getting $500,000 for his property.

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/071106/TRI_BABMBLTB.057.shtml

I think this is an odd approach by the paper to attack Bradley.
Why don't the folks at the PJS just do a cursory investigation, get the facts and tell everyone what's going on?
Why keep acting like some monumental secret and giant conspiracy is going on?
This is part of a never ending scheme they seem to have to paint Bradley in a negative light. Just what is their bias?
Does it go back to the Jim Les hiring?
Is it tied in with the discontent they obviously had when WM wasn't hired.
Isn't District 150 doing the exact same thing?
They are trying to buy up land for expansion, but I don't see the PJS going after 150 like they are going after BU.

[Dallas Brave]

Re: Bradley Expansion

Why does the PJ Star continue to take an editorial opinion attacking Bradley for being secretive about its plans of expansion?
Am I missing something?
Hasn't Bradley openly informed not only the people in the surrounding neighborhoods, but also they have had open meetings for alumni and other interested persons to attend.
Plus, they have gone one by one to the property owners and presented their plans and offers, and most of the owners are apparently quite happy and selling at the offered price!
Then in today's paper they mention that BU is paying upwards of $500,000 per property, up to 5 times the value of the property.
Why if the private home owners want to sell for such a great price, then does the PJ Star feel it needs to get involved for the "community's good"?

Even one of the vocal opponents of the expansion by Bradley has caved and now sold out, getting $500,000 for his property.

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/071106/TRI_BABMBLTB.057.shtml

I think this is an odd approach by the paper to attack Bradley.
Why don't the folks at the PJS just do a cursory investigation, get the facts and tell everyone what's going on?
Why keep acting like some monumental secret and giant conspiracy is going on?
This is part of a never ending scheme they seem to have to paint Bradley in a negative light. Just what is their bias?
Does it go back to the Jim Les hiring?
Is it tied in with the discontent they obviously had when WM wasn't hired.
Isn't District 150 doing the exact same thing?
They are trying to buy up land for expansion, but I don't see the PJS going after 150 like they are going after BU.

Maybe it's just KW's bruised ego rearing its ugly head.

The PJS reporter in the linked story doesn't indicate any underhanded behavior on BU's part. The former opponent had this to say, "Bradley has been extremely cooperative with me. We had a meeting. In turn, the communication between Bradley and its neighbors is good and getting better all the time."

[chitownBUB]

The editorial staff's opinion piece on this subject is linked below.
It does suggest some lack of forthrightness and honesty on Bradley's part and calls for a full disclosure of the university's plans immediately.
But somehwat paradoxically it quotes Second District Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken
"Bradley University has done an exceptional job keeping her and its West Bluff neighbors informed about its expansion plans."

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/071706/EDI_BAC9II7B.059.shtml

So who do we believe?

[molar50]

The story helps sell papers. The university has stated that the homes on Maplewood would be purchased for the new sports complex. They will have to build a parking deck. I think the Journal Star is interested in the timing of the building and if Bradley will desire to expand further west, buying property on Cooper St and possibly Rebecca. I think the university will announce building plans after they announce a capital fundraising campaign for the new construction. I do not see the university expanding toward Western (past Cooper St) in the near future. The costs of buying all the homes would be very expensive.

[brainiac]

Bingo.
It's what sells papers.
'Nuff said

[MacabreMob]

Re: Bradley Expansion

I think this is an odd approach by the paper to attack Bradley.
Why don't the folks at the PJS just do a cursory investigation, get the facts and tell everyone what's going on?
Why keep acting like some monumental secret and giant conspiracy is going on?
This is part of a never ending scheme they seem to have to paint Bradley in a negative light. .....
Isn't District 150 doing the exact same thing?
They are trying to buy up land for expansion, but I don't see the PJS going after 150 like they are going after BU.

First of all, I agree with you.

Let me just try to take the devil's advocate here and suggest maybe why this article seems like an attack.

Since BU is a private institution, they don't have to disclose anything (Dist 150 is public and info is disclosed). Investigations on the story come up empty. Empty - meaning nothing... so it must be a secret. Ooooo - secrecy. First reaction to secrecy is to fear the worst. What is the worst? I don't know.. make something up - it's gotta be 'blah'. The story gets released and the general public is misinformed. Perceptions are formed and all the sudden you have a bunch of people in an outrage.

So if you are Bradley - are you gonna answer to a bunch of misinformed people demanding to know why they are going to do "blah" when it may not be what their motives are to begin with?

I may be way off here - just a suggestion.

Oh, and it does sell papers - or get internet hits at newspaper websites (with advertisers on the site).

[Biff]

The reason this story keeps coming up every week or 2 is simple. It just eats the heck out of people like KW and the PJS people that Bradley is doing this and they aren't telling the PJ Star what they are doing.

[tornado]

Lots of people have heard the presentations by BU and DO KNOW exactly what Bradley's plans are.
Remember, the PJS did apparently get told by Second District Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken (Gary Sandberg's ex-wife) that she was fully informed of BU's plans!!
(see the link above by chitownBUB)

Recall that when you're buying property and spending bucks, it is a little advantage to keep some privacy in your plans.

Perhaps if you or I were buying or selling property, it might be anywhere from harmful or even disastrous to see the local newspaper disclose and trash all your plans.
Maybe that's why BU is a little bit secretive, maybe the way the local news media has treated BU leads them to be skeptical of the way they'd be treated if they were open with the media.

[Bravesguy]

I notice in the "Matter of Record" section under property transactions today, that another property on Maplewood just sold to Bradley University for $426,000. They're getting it done.