McHenry County College sells building to church for nearly $2M

McHenry County College will be adding new funds to the books after selling an off-campus building in McHenry to a church for $1.9 million.

The Shah Center, located at 4100 W. Shamrock Lane, was a satellite building used as a workforce development and training facility. Many of the specialized features offered at the center were moved to the new Catalyst Campus in Woodstock that opened in August, located at 222 E. Church St.

“Due to the purchase and renovation of MCC’s Catalyst Campus in Woodstock from Aurora University, it was determined that the Shah Center and surrounding property in McHenry was no longer needed to support the needs of the college,” MCC Chief Financial Officer Robert Tenuta said in college documents.

Crystal Lake-based MCC will sell the building, located off Route 31 near Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, to Lighthouse Church Assembly of God for $1.875 million plus an additional $25,000 for remaining furniture and fixtures. The college Board of Trustees approved the sale during a meeting Thursday. A campus real estate agent was hired in late February and the church agreed to the selling price in June, according to MCC documents.

The college purchased the new Woodstock building from Aurora University in March 2023 for $1.4 million, according to a promissory note on the MCC website. The structure also houses the University Center, a multi-school partnership where area students can take classes and complete four-year degrees from Roosevelt, Aurora, Northern Illinois and Southern Illinois universities.

MCC President Clinton Gabbard said the profit from the sale could potentially help fund a new events center space the college is hoping to build. Officials are looking to create an events space near the Crystal Lake campus’ commons and cafeteria area with a separate entrance and outdoor seating area. The space would be used to host events that the college already puts on, such as job fairs, and create the potential for more external community events.

If approved by the board, Gabbard hopes to start construction on the new events center in May. Gabbard estimates that construction could cost about $5.5 million with a potential of $500,000 provided through private philanthropy.