Religious groups hope auction of Center for University Ministry will breathe new life into site

A building that has served several Christian denominations during the past few decades will be auctioned off to the highest bidder this November. The Center for University Ministry, located at 1415 E. Third St., will be sold after ceasing its operations late last year because of a decline in student interest.\nThose involved with the center hope it still has a future in serving the faithful.\nThe building could be renovated as a new ministry center that also houses students -- a growing trend on many college campuses.\n"Our hope is that, depending on the buyer, we could build a student residence and be an interfaith campus ministry program," said John Vanderzee, a chaplain at Bloomington Hospital and president of the center's board of directors. "Income from rent would then pay for the program." \nSeveral individuals have shown interest in such a proposal, but Vanderzee said nothing was set in stone yet, and he could not reveal any details.\nOne group which specializes in such plans, Partners Student Center Associates, conducted a study to discover the feasibility of such a project. The report found building a residence there could help rejuvenate the center, except city zoning does not allow it.\n"It's on a block where the zoning shifts into lower density, so in that context an argument could probably be made for the student residence project," said Charlie Oewel, co-director of Partners Student Center Associates.\nAnother possibility is the University could bid on the building, which is located directly across the street from University Apartments. IU regularly purchases adjacent property.\n"The University, at one point, was interested in purchasing it or perhaps (making) a leasing arrangement at one point," said Randy Baer, co-director of Partners Student Center Associates. "They may still bid on it."\nLynn Coyne, assistant vice president for real estate and economic development at IU, was out of town and unavailable for comment.\nThe building's owners, Presbyterian Synod of Lincoln Trails, decided to sell the property because of other priorities, Vanderzee said. The 1.36-acre lot will be auctioned off Nov. 10.