Former Lincoln College Campus / Lincoln, Illinois
300 Keokuk, Lincoln, IL 62656
The opportunity of a lifetime
Space on the old Lincoln College campus is open to businesses and nonprofits at $1 annual leases, so long as you bring new jobs to Lincoln.
RFI Building walkthrough: Tuesday, September 29 @ 1:00 PM in front of University Hall.
Round 1 application close date: Friday, October 30 @ 5:00 PM.
$1
LEASE, PER YEAR
55/100
WEIGHT ON JOB CREATION
3-5
YEAR INITIAL TERM
At A Glance
people
wages
region
access
cost
training
sites
sources
Welcome to Lincoln
Lincoln is a city of 12,800 that is positioned right in the middle of Illinois between Peoria (40 minutes), Springfield (30 minutes), Decatur (35 minutes), and Bloomington (30 minutes), with straight shot access to Champaign (1 hour 15 minutes) as well. We pull workforce from all the cities around us and have residents of Lincoln drive daily to these locations. We are the heart of the heartland and have access to the best of each of these cities.
Our city has a deep historical connection to Abraham Lincoln, Route 66, Amtrak connectivity, and has a downtown that is flush with charm. We are at the crossroads of opportunity and community, and would love to welcome you to both.
Lincoln College Campus
This campus used to house the historic Lincoln College, which closed in May of 2022. Some of the buildings on this campus have been used for over 150 years, bringing meaningful history to the town and giving unique charm that cannot be replicated. Part of the opportunity on this campus also includes renovations to the living facilities done by a local developer, to provide approximately 200 new housing units over the next several years, providing nearby living for workplaces and affordable housing during a time when the price of housing continues to climb. The campus layout is uniquely beneficial for complimentary industries as well, allowing for walkable access on the beautiful campus for nearby meetings and other activities.
The campus also has the Lincoln Center which houses modern sports amenities, offices, strength and training facilities, and much more. This space is currently available for rent for events and other activities, allowing nearby employees and residents access to facilities that would otherwise be unobtainable in such proximity. Information regarding this center can be found at: http://www.lincolncenteril.com
Welcome to Lincoln
Lincoln is a city of 12,800 that is positioned right in the middle of Peoria (40 minutes), Springfield (30 minutes), Decatur (35 minutes), and Bloomington (30 minutes), with straight shot access to Champaign (1 hour 15 minutes) as well. We pull workforce from all the cities around us and have residents of Lincoln drive daily to these locations. We are the heart of the heartland and have access to the best of each of these cities.
Our city has a deep historical connection to Abraham Lincoln, Route 66, Amtrak connectivity, and has a downtown that is flush with charm. We are at the crossroads of opportunity and community, and would love to welcome you to both.
Welcome to Lincoln College Campus
This campus used to house the historic Lincoln College, which closed in May of 2022. Some of the buildings on this campus have been used for over 150 years, bringing meaningful history to the town and giving unique charm that cannot be replicated. Part of the opportunity on this campus also includes renovations to the living facilities done by a local developer, to provide approximately 200 new housing units over the next several years, providing nearby living for workplaces and affordable housing during a time when the price of housing continues to climb. The campus layout is uniquely beneficial for complimentary industries as well, allowing for walkable access on the beautiful campus for nearby meetings and other activities.
The campus also has the Lincoln Center which houses modern sports amenities, offices, strength and training facilities, and much more. This space is currently available for rent for events and other activities, allowing nearby employees and residents access to facilities that would otherwise be unobtainable in such proximity. Information regarding this center can be found at: http://www.lincolncenteril.com
What is on the table
The owner of the campus would rather have these buildings full than sitting empty. So the deal is simple. You get space at a price almost nobody can get in this market. In return you commit to a number of jobs, in writing, and you report against it.
There are two programs. They have the same application, different rules, and different endings. Nonprofits pay a dollar a year and can end up owning the building. Businesses get a discounted lease and can buy at a discount off appraised value. Pick the one that fits and apply through it.
Uriah Kilgallin, CEO of LEAD, administers both programs and reviews every application.
Round 1 Campus Map
NONPROFITS
Space-Use Program
$1
per year, on a written lease
- Triple net lease with $1 base rent
- Open to 501(c)(3)s, fiscally sponsored projects, and equivalent mission-driven groups
- You have to be at least a year old and growing
- Roughly two years of reporting on jobs and services delivered
- Meet your numbers and the building is donated to you outright, committed in your lease
- Jobs and community service carry 60 of the 100 points
FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES
Lease-to-Own
55/100
of your score is new jobs in Lincoln
- Triple net lease with base rent set below the local market rate, down to $1
- Initial term of three to five years, negotiated when you are awarded
- Hit your hiring schedule and you keep the lower rent tier
- Option to buy at the end, discounted off appraised value
- The discount grows with the jobs you created and the money you put into the building
Round 1 Building Blueprints
Click image to view full layouts of each location.
Admissions Building
Floor plans, elevations, and architectural details for the historic admissions building renovation.
David Hart Science Layout
Spatial layout and interior dimensions for David Hart Science building
Site Drainage Plan
Comprehensive drainage, utilities, and site infrastructure planning
University Hall
Floor plans, elevations, and architectural details for the historic admissions building renovation.
Gehlback Hall
Architectural plans and elevation drawings for Gehlback Hall restoration.
Johnston Center
Comprehensive drainage, utilities, and site infrastructure planning
Future RFI Rounds
Click image to view full layouts of each location.
Bookstore Layout
Floor plan layout and room specifications for bookstore renovation project.
Buildings & Grounds
Comprehensive site plans and architectural specifications for campus buildings and grounds.
Davidson Sheffer Gym
Complete floor plans and layouts for Davidson Sheffer Gymnasium renovation.
Davidson Sheffer Gym Layout
Detailed floor plan and spatial layout for gymnasium facility.
Dooley Hall
Architectural elevations and design plans for Dooley Hall restoration project.
McKinstry Library Roof Design
Roof design and structural specifications for McKinstry Library renovation.
McKinstry Library Layout
Complete floor plan and interior layout for McKinstry Library renovation.
Meyers Evans & Dish Room Reno
Detailed floor plan and spatial layout for gymnasium facility.
Outdoor Center for Environmental Education
Architectural elevations and design plans for Dooley Hall restoration project.
Scully Natatorium Renovation
Complete renovation plans and specifications for Scully Natatorium facility.
READ THIS BEFORE YOU APPLY
The jobs have to be new to Lincoln.
If you already operate here, you can still apply. But the proposal has to be an expansion that adds headcount beyond what you employ in Lincoln today. Moving your existing crew from one Lincoln address to another does not count, and it will not score.
One question to answer before you start the form: how many people will be working in Lincoln because of this who are not working in Lincoln now? That number sets your score, your rent, and your purchase discount.
How you get scored
Every complete application is worth 100 points. Committee members score on their own, then the scores are averaged. Here is where the points sit.
What happens after you apply
Both programs run the same shape. Nonprofits start one step earlier with a short letter of interest and an eligibility check.
01
Application
Financials, year by year hiring projections, wages, and references.
02
Completeness check
The Administrator asks for anything missing before it goes to the committee.
03
Scoring
Each committee member scores independently against the published rubric.
04
Interview
Shortlisted applicants walk through the hiring plan and the money behind it.
05
Recommendation
Scores are averaged and a written recommendation goes to the board.
06
Terms
Term, rent, escalation, and the purchase or donation terms are negotiated.
07
Due diligence
Insurance certificate, condition survey, and the signed agreement.
08
Keys, then reporting
You move in. Reports on jobs and outcomes come every six months.
The documents
Read the one for your track before you fill anything out. Full eligibility rules, every point range in the rubric, and the lease terms are in these.
Nonprofit Space-Use Program
Eligibility, the thirteen stage process, the 100 point matrix, the $1 lease terms, reporting requirements, and how the building donation works at the end.
For-Profit Lease-to-Own Program
Eligibility, the eleven stage process, the 100 point rubric, how the triple net lease and rent tiers work, and how the end of term purchase discount is calculated.
These are drafts and they will change. Check back here for the current version before you submit.
Before you write the hiring plan
Your job projections get scored against whether they are believable. It helps to know what the labor pool here actually looks like, what people are paid, and who the big employers already are. LEAD keeps that in one place and updates it.
Two numbers worth having in front of you before you commit to a wage. Logan County's average weekly wage across all covered employment was $1,027 in the first quarter of 2025, about $53,400 a year, against $1,662 statewide. Census median earnings for the same county run $52,909 for men and $37,182 for women. The labor force is 10,828 people, with unemployment at 4.5 percent as of June 2026.
By air
Distance from Lincoln:
Springfield
Abraham Lincoln Capital
26.8 mi
Bloomington — Central Illinois Regional
32.8 mi
Decatur Airport
34.2 mi
Peoria International
39.6 mi
Champaign — Willard
57.9 mi
St. Louis Lambert International
110.6 mi
Chicago O'Hare
147.6 mi
Four commercial airports sit inside a forty mile drive. Two international hubs are a straight run down or up I-55.
By road
30,300 vehicles pass Lincoln on I-55 every day.
Bloomington
31.7 mi
Springfield
32.7 mi
Decatur, via Highway 121
34.5 mi
Peoria metro, via
I-155
44.9 mi
Decatur is the Midwest Inland Port. Peoria is Caterpillar, Komatsu and Precision Planting. Springfield is the state government. Bloomington is insurance.
By rail
Two Class I railroads serve Lincoln: Canadian National and Union Pacific. An industrial user here can bid both rather than take whatever one carrier offers.
Lincoln also has an Amtrak stop and station on the Union Pacific line, part of the high speed corridor between Chicago and St. Louis.
Apply here
If you have any questions, email Uriah (uriah@leadlincoln.com) before you start. It is a two minute conversation and he would be glad to help with any questions.