WINONA, Minn. – The sprawling Lourdes Hall looks like a “white elephant” for Winona State University. after 10 months on the real estate market, many potential buyers have toured the 95-year-old four-story building, said Scott Ellinghuysen, the university’s financial vice president. But no takers. “We’ve just got to find the right people,” he said. Winona State had used Lourdes as its flagship dorm on what it dubbed its West Campus for almost 30 years. Two smaller West Campus dorms — Tau and Maria — were sold two weeks ago to Cotter Schools to expand its presence as a Catholic grade, middle and high school on the campus.
Earlier: $5 million deal: Cotter buys two WSU dorms
Rose-tinted view
Winona State has explained its departure from the old College of St. Teresa campus as keeping up with changing student preferences. Noting that the West Campus was 1-1/2 miles from the main Winona State campus, university President Scott Olson explained the departure this way: “The West Campus has been a great addition to WSU for close to 30 years, but today’s students are telling us they want a different style of living and learning environments, such as the ability to walk to classes, the library, concerts, competitions, and events.” Olson downplayed another dynamic: The university is in a financial bind after a decade of sometimes dramatic enrollment losses. An internal projection had looked for $10 million from selling three West Campus dorms. Two weeks ag the Tau and Maria went for $5 million together. Another dynamic: The West Campus concept was for it to be an academically elite “residential college.” The concept, however, was never defined clearly and had fumbled from almost the beginning 30 years ago.