Peoria council approves two WestMEC sites for career-technical campuses, totaling about $11.8 million in land sales

The Peoria City Council on April 7 approved two separate purchase-and-sale agreements with WestMEC to locate career and technical education campuses in the city, voting 7-0 on both items.

Economic Development Director Maria Lochner told the council the South Campus would occupy 14 acres at 95th Avenue and be sold at fair market value of $12.70 per square foot, totaling $7,750,000. The North Campus — about 7 acres at 5 North in Vistancia — is priced at $13.22 per square foot for a total of $4,076,000. Both agreements include performance milestones: opening escrow after PSA execution, closing escrow within 90 days of execution and completing construction for an opening in the 2028–29 school year.

“We are recommending approval,” Maria Lochner said, outlining that WestMEC plans to host roughly 10–12 programs at the South Campus (and 5–6 programs at the North Campus, including advanced manufacturing and healthcare tracks).

Councilor Bullock moved to approve item 7R; Vice Mayor Finn seconded the motion and the council passed it 7-0. Council then separately considered item 8R, moved and seconded, and approved that agreement 7-0 as well.

Lochner said the South Campus lease had been executed previously and that the agreements now brought both PSAs to council for the land sales. The projects are part of the city’s economic development priority to broaden workforce training opportunities locally.

Council discussion was supportive; the mayor described the South Campus site as well-suited to spur downtown revitalization and said such training opportunities address local employer demand for skilled workers in trades such as welding and health-care support roles.

The council’s approvals authorize staff to proceed with the agreements as presented; no additional financial incentives were described in the hearing record.