MSU to buy former Willow Brook Foods plant

Missouri State University has signed a contract to purchase the former Willow Brook Foods building for $1.98 million, the school announced Wednesday.

Minnesota-based Cargill bought Willow Brook Foods in March and closed its plant at 405 N. Jefferson Ave. in September, citing the facility's age and other Cargill plants in Missouri that eliminate a need for Springfield operations.

On Monday, MSU signed a contract for the building, and Willow Brook Foods signed off on the deal Tuesday, according to an MSU news release. The purchase should close no later than June 30, 2009. MSU will use its one-time reserves, currently at about $50 million, to buy the building.

The 121,224-square-foot former turkey-processing plant is on 3.5 acres and includes about 161 parking spaces. MSU will renovate the building as funds become available, according to the release, and tenants could include the school's technology and construction management department and some arts departments.

"This purchase fits with our overall philosophy of renovating existing facilities, it provides wide open spaces for several of our growing programs and it helps complete the initial footprint for the IDEA Commons," MSU President Michael Nietzel said in the release.

IDEA Commons is MSU's initiative to create an urban research park in downtown mixed with residential, retail and entertainment uses, bringing together Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship and Arts (IDEA). The initiative is centered on Jordan Valley Innovation Center and Brick City, a renovated warehouse set to house MSU's Art and Design Department. The school about a month ago also bought five properties from the city for IDEA Commons.