Champaign County Eyes Future Growth: Brookens Center Hits the Real Estate Market

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URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — In a strategic effort to finalize the transition between administrative centers, Champaign County officials are exploring the real estate market.

Following the relocation of various county services from the Brookens Administrative Center to the Bennett Administrative Center last year, the county has decided to put Brookens up for sale at a price of $3.5 million.

Champaign County Executive Steve Summers explained that selling the Brookens facility was part of the initial plan once the shift to Bennett was accomplished. Although the sale was intended to happen sooner, the Regional Planning Commission faced a funding shortfall, necessitating the continued use of the Brookens Center to maintain operations.

With the Regional Planning Commission now preparing to relocate, Summers confirmed that the county is ready to reintroduce the building to the market.

“With everything transitioned over to our new administrative center, I think we’re just turning a page,” Summers said. “RPC is looking at purchasing another property and moving at some time in the upcoming year, so the board and my office both felt it was prudent to place this property back on the market.”

He also noted the high costs associated with maintaining a large facility like Brookens as a reason for selling.

“We need to take it off our books, so the taxpayers aren’t stuck maintaining a building we have no specific use for,” Summers said.

The 93,000-square-foot building only has a handful of tenants left. Summers said the Attorney General’s office is leasing at Brookens until it moves to the new administrative center this year. County Auditor George Danos remains stationed at Brookens as well, according to Summers.

WCIA previously reported Danos wanted to see changes before moving his office to the Bennett Center. In May, he said the second floor of the center did not fit his office’s needs.

Since then, Summers said the County Board made the decision to move the auditor’s staff to the County Finance department.

“The auditor’s office consists only of the elected auditor, Mr. Danos,” Summers said. “I’m sure we can find the space at the time we need to move Mr. Danos.”

Just as he did in May, Danos said he will continue to work out of the Brookens Center.

“I am glad that the central administration has finally understood the financial folly of holding onto two huge campuses,” Danos said in an email. “I do not see the Brookens selling quickly. When it does, I look forward to moving into Bennett.”

Summers similarly expects it will take some time to find a potential suitor for the center.

“I’m personally not optimistic it’ll be a quick sale,” Summers said. “It’s a different type of building.”

All other tenants have been informed of the county’s intent to sell the building and are on month-to-month leases, according to Summers.

“We’re looking down the road making sure that if we do find a buyer, we’re able to provide the space immediately to that buyer,” Summers said.

But, he said there are not any potential buyers on the horizon right now. Summers said the property will be maintained by the county until a sale is finalized and the county no longer owns the facility.