Ball State cancelled plans to use eminent domain on a local business this afternoon.
Associate vice president of marketing and communications Tony Proudfoot said in an email to the Daily News the plan to move forward with McKinley Commons by taking Hiatt Printing through eminent domain has been deferred.
“The Ball State trustees and administration believe strongly that the project would be of great benefit to our students and the university community,” Proudfoot said. “We will step back and consider our options for best achieving the goals of the project in a different location or turn to other strategic priorities.”
McKinley Commons would have included a living-learning community for hospitality and food management students with a hotel and restaurants to serve as an immersive learning lab.
The decision against eminent domain came after a Delaware County court ordered the appraisal of Hiatt Printing at $375,000 and the seller requested $1.3 million.
Proudfoot said the gap cannot be reconciled and it is best for the university to stop the eminent domain proceedings.
