News

Tenants spark debate on lease termination with county

WFIU | By Joe Hren

Published March 13, 2026 at 1:45 PM EDT

The area is next to Kroger and includes the former Artisan Alley, Friendly Beasts Cidery, and Seminary Pointe apartments.

Tenants in properties owned by the county south of the Bloomington convention center project are wondering why their leases aren’t being renewed.

The area is next to Kroger and includes My Sister’s Closet, Friendly Beasts Cidery, and Seminary Pointe apartments.

The county purchased it in 2010 for about $3 million to expand the convention center campus.

County attorney Jeff Cockerill said 17 tenants in three different buildings were given a July 7 lease termination notice on Feb. 27.

This comes as the Capital Improvement Board is asking is asking the county and city to hand over land in that area for the convention center expansion project that’s been in the works for years.

A map from 2023 shows property owned by the county and city around the convention center. The area at debate is the further south parcels owned by the county.

Concerned residents asked at this week’s county council and commissioner meetings why affordable housing is being cut during a housing crisis.

Resident Barry Herbers said the people living in Seminary Pointe Apartments struggle to get ahead, but they work hard and are doing their best.

“This is not an annoyance, you’re not just making them move around, if you go through with this, it’s gentrification,” he said.

Resident Rebecca Stoops said the circumstances have changed since the county purchased the land. She asked the county to turn the land over to a nonprofit or land trust that could manage the properties.

Cockerell said the land was bought from the county Innkeeper’s Tax and there are state restrictions. He said the county is using Innkeeper’s Tax funds to maintain the aging buildings for the intent of future tourism use.

“The apartment association is planning on a flyer and presentation for the people living in those areas in an intent to find them a suitable place that is relatively close and relatively in that cost area,” he said.

Parking lot and north view of the Seminary Apartment duplex.

Commissioner Julie Thomas called the buildings unsafe during a February meeting.

“That building has some structural issues that we wouldn’t not want to keep people living there,” she said.

The county council and commissioners must still approve transferring the land to the convention center project.

The convention center expansion project is underway east of the current building. The CIB is currently seeking a companion hotel and parking options.