SBU sells buildings to nonprofit

Last edited 12:15 p.m., Sept. 2, 2020

Southwest Baptist University sold two buildings to Polk County House of Hope, a Bolivar nonprofit that provides services for victims of domestic and sexual violence.

The SBU Board of Trustees and Missouri Baptist Convention, of which the school is an entity, recently voted to approve the sale of the college's Ingman and Maupin halls. Sales terms for the purchases that were finalized in July were undisclosed, said SBU spokesperson Charlotte Marsch.

PCHOH plans to convert the buildings into an emergency shelter for victims of domestic and sexual violence. It would house 40 women and children, with the ability to move up to 90 beds during emergencies. Further, the SBU buildings will house PCHOH staff members and provide longer-term housing.

“We have been seriously looking for a new facility since 2015. The current facility has long surpassed its useful life, and the demand for services has been increasing year after year," PCHOH Executive Director Roberta Bledsoe said in the release. "After several years of planning and fundraising, the organization was finally ready to either build or purchase a facility.”

The shelter is expected to be fully operational by June 2021. In Phase II work, PCHOH plans to renovate portions of the buildings for use by other nonprofits and community groups that offer assistance to families in need. The nonprofit has 70% tax credits in place to help with expenses.

SBU's Ingman and Maupin Halls were constructed in 1954 and have been used for dining and residence halls, as well as academic space, according to the release.

“The physical space requirements of the university evolve over time, and we do not anticipate needing these buildings in the future,” SBU President Eric Turner said in the release. “Rather than leaving them sitting idle, we are excited to see these buildings being used for the betterment of our community.”