Picture this a sprawling single-story building bathed in the Illinois sun. This is Saint Xavier University’s Orland Park campus. A state-of-the-art facility it once housed fifteen classrooms three teaching labs and even a cybercafe. Imagine hundreds of students bustling through its doors.
Saint Xavier University a name synonymous with academic excellence in Chicago expanded its reach to Orland Park. This satellite campus offered a convenient location for students in the southwest suburbs. It represented the university’s commitment to providing accessible education. The building a testament to modern design was a significant investment. It cost $6.3 million to construct. Henry Bros. Co. managed the ambitious project.
However the Orland Park campus’s story is not one of perpetual growth. In 2018 Saint Xavier made the difficult decision to sell the facility. Financial constraints and underutilization led to its closure. The sale wasn’t a failure though. The proceeds helped pay off construction bonds. It also allowed the university to reduce operational costs. This made an SXU education even more affordable.
The building found new life. It was purchased by RITA Realizing Integration Through the Arts. Now it serves as an arts-based educational training center. This caters to individuals with developmental disabilities. This marks a remarkable transformation a campus dedicated to higher education now dedicated to artistic growth and empowerment.
The Orland Park campus may no longer bear the Saint Xavier University name but its legacy lives on. It continues to serve the community even if in a different capacity. It showcases the university’s dedication to education and its broader impact on society. The beautiful structure stands as a reminder of Saint Xavier’s past and the continuing evolution of its mission. It’s a story of transformation adaptation and ultimately a commitment to learning and growth for everyone.