Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1958 [PAGE 995]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

992

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[November 21

614 East John Street — Owner, Cyrus W . Vaughn, Jr., and Maxine M. Vaughn, his wife. This is a lot approximately 50 feet by 120 feet on which there is a small onestory frame building, used as a restaurant, and a paved parking area. T h e building is leased until December 31, i960. The owners state their asking price includes compensation to be paid the tenant operating the restaurant for cancellation of his lease prior to its expiration. Negotiations have been conducted by representatives of the University with representatives of the owners of the above-described properties and it appears at this time that no agreement on prices can be reached as the owners are unwilling to sell except at prices which are greatly in excess of appraised values. It is, therefore, obvious that the University must resort to its right of eminent domain, and the Vice-President and Comptroller, the Director of the Physical Plant Department, and the Legal Counsel so recommend. I concur and recommend that the Board of Trustees adopt the following resolutions authorizing the institution and prosecution of proceedings in eminent domain and such other steps, including the employment of special counsel, to assist the Legal Counsel therein, appraisers, and others, as may be necessary. Resolution It Is Hereby Resolved, Found and Declared by T h e Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois that the following described real estate, situated in the City of Champaign, County of Champaign and the State of Illinois, viz.: Beginning at a point on the North line of John Street 75 feet East of the Southwest corner of Block Twelve (12) of J. S. Wright's Addition to Champaign, thence North 120 feet, thence East 49 feet 3 inches, thence South 120 feet, thence West 49 feet 3 inches to the place of beginning, is needed by the University of Illinois, an educational institution established and supported by the State of Illinois, as the site of a building needed and to be constructed by said University for educational purposes and to enable said University to discharge its duties to the people of said state and for public use; that funds available for the purchase of said land have been appropriated to The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois by the General Assembly of the State of Illinois; that this Board of Trustees has negotiated with Henry K. Vreeland, the owner of said land through his duly authorized representatives for the purchase of said land at a price which this Board of Trustees considers fair and reasonable and which it finds constitutes the present market value of said land, but he has refused to sell and convey the land to The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois for such price and continues to refuse to sell and convey the same to it except for a consideration and price which this Board of Trustees deems excessive and exorbitant and is unwilling, and has refused to pay therefor; and It Is Further Hereby Resolved, Found and Declared by said The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois that the compensation to be paid by it for said land can not be agreed upon between this Board of Trustees and said Henry K. Vreeland and he and it are unable to agree upon the purchase price to be paid him for the sale and conveyance by him thereof to said The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois; and It Is Further Hereby Resolved, Found and Declared by this Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois that, because of said need of said University for said land for said purposes and because the compensation to be paid the said Henry K. Vreeland as the owner thereof therefor can not be agreed upon between him and this Board of Trustees, it is necessary for The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois to take said land and acquire title thereto through the exercise by it of the right of eminent domain conferred upon it by law and to have the compensation to be paid by it to said Henry K. Vreeland and any and all other persons who may have any right, title or interest in and to said land therefor determined in the manner provided by law for the exercise of said right of eminent domain; and It Is Further Hereby Resolved by this Board of Trustees that the necessary and appropriate action be taken for the acquisition of title to said property by said The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and to have the compensation to be paid therefor determined by the institution and prosecution to completion of a proceeding in eminent domain in a court of competent jurisdiction, and that the Legal Counsel of said University, be and he is hereby authorized