Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1964 [PAGE 1189]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1144

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[March 18

of the Board, officers of the Board, and officers of the University as recorded at the beginning of these minutes were present, except for Mr. Page, who asked to be excused. The Board considered the following items of business.

PURCHASE OF LAND FOR RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING FACILITY (1) Since April, 1957, the University has been leasing a forty-one acre tract of land four miles south of Bondville, Illinois, as a site for a radio direction-finding facility used by the Department of Electrical Engineering for research under a contract with the United States Navy. The lease provides for payments of annual rentals and liquidated damages, such payments being made from contract funds. The lease also includes an option to purchase the land at a price not to exceed $18,245. On October 26, 1963, the Board authorized purchase of 210 acres adjacent to the original forty-one acre tract for immediate expansion of the radio directionfinding facility which land has now been acquired. The United States government has provided all the necessary funds for operation, equipment, rental payments, and liquidated damages. The United States Navy has now requested the University to purchase the forty-one acre tract as a contribution to the research program. T h e legal description of this tract i s : The South half (S}4) of the East half (Ei/$) of the Northwest quarter ( N W ' / i ) of Section two (2), and a strip of land sixteen and one-half (I6V2) feet wide providing access to the aforementioned forty (40)-acre tract from the paved road along the East side of said Section two (2), and said access strip to be located along the South edge of the North half (Nl/2) of the Northeast quarter (NE14) of Section two (2), and the East sixteen and onehalf (16i/i) feet of the South sixteen and one-half (W/2) feet of the Northeast quarter (NEi/j) of the Northwest quarter (NW14) of Section two (2), all in Township eighteen (18) North, Range seven (7) East of the Third Principal Meridian, and containing forty-one (41) acres more or less in the county of Champaign, and State of Illinois. The Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, the Chairman of the Research Board, and the Vice-President and Comptroller recommend the purchase of this tract from funds in the Contract Research Reserve. I concur and request that the Comptroller and the Secretary of the Board be authorized to execute the necessary documents to complete this acquisition.

On motion of Mr. Swain, the purchase of this land, as recommended, was approved by the following vote: Aye, Mr. Clement, Mr. Billiard, Mr. Hughes, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Jones, Mr. Pogue, Mr. Swain. Mrs. Watkins; no, none; absent, Mr. Kerner, Mr. Page, Mr. Williamson.

CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS FOR ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AT 1 3 0 1 WEST STOUGHTON STREET, URBANA, ILLINOIS (2) University representatives have been negotiating for the purchase of the property at 1301 West Stoughton Street, Urbana, Illinois, a corner lot 66 feet by 100 feet, with a two and one-half story and basement frame house. The land area is needed as part of the site for expansion of the Digital Computer Laboratory. The owner's representative was informed that a recommendation would be made to the Board for the purchase of the property at a price of $28,500, based on University appraisals, but the offer is not acceptable and the asking price remains substantially in excess of the highest University appraisal. The Director of the Physical Plant and the Vice-President and Comptroller therefore recommend that condemnation proceedings for the acquisition of the property be authorized. The Committee on Buildings and Grounds has been consulted and supports this recommendation. Funds are available in the state capital appropriations to the University from the Universities Building Fund. I concur and recommend adoption of the following resolution: