Washington County's plan to sell the former UWM–Washington County campus is suddenly on shaky ground after key state funding was frozen, and neighbors are now eyeing a potential courtroom showdown. With roughly $5 million now up in the air, county officials are scrambling for options while the community debates whether the deal should move forward at all. Supporters argue the sale would finally put a shuttered campus back to work, while critics say it would hand over facilities built with public and donor money to a private buyer.
State grant 'on ice', county lawyer says
Last Wednesday, Washington County Attorney Brad Stern told the county board that the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation "has decided to put the county's grant on ice for a while," and he requested a closed session to talk about possible litigation, according to TMJ4. His comments were the first public sign that the roughly $2 million in state redevelopment aid county leaders had been counting on is no longer a sure thing. County spokespeople did not offer any fresh on-the-record update to reporters about the status of the grant.
Board approved sale last summer
In late August, the county board voted to move ahead with a plan to sell the 80 acre campus, roughly 200,000 square feet of buildings, with Ozaukee Christian Schools set to pay $3 million and Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation taking most of the surrounding land, as reported by WPR. County leaders argued the deal would stop the ongoing expense of maintaining an empty property and help fund needed electrical upgrades. That pitch, along with the decision to negotiate privately with the school, has fueled months of public backlash.
Buyer says project needs private fundraising
Ozaukee Christian School, which has proposed relocating to the campus and adding high school grades in 2026, says it is raising about $13.5 million to purchase and renovate the property and plans to roll out a new name and brand next week, according to the school's website. School leaders present the project as a quicker, more affordable way to reuse existing classrooms, labs and athletic facilities instead of building from scratch. They have also argued that the price tag matches the building's assessed value and a phased renovation strategy.
Parents and neighbors push back
"When questions were raised about our eligibility for the money... those concerns were completely brushed off," said parent and public school advocate Molly Morgan, who has spoken out at task force meetings, per TMJ4. Dozens of residents have urged county officials to pursue an outcome that preserves community access instead of private ownership, and several nonprofits say they lost rehearsal and meeting space when the campus shut down. County leaders are now walking a tightrope between budget pressures and the campus's long history as a public hub.
Legal questions over donor intent
The Washington County Charitable Foundation, which says it raised about $1.2 million to help build part of the campus between 2000 and 2009, has filed a notice of injury demanding that the county halt the sale or repay the donation, a move first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and republished by Yahoo. The notice, often a first step toward a lawsuit, argues that selling to a private buyer would cut off public access to spaces such as the Collins Science Hall. County counsel has said the filing does not automatically stop the transaction, but it raises the legal stakes if the county chooses to proceed.
What's next
County officials now face a short list of imperfect options. They can try to close the deal without the state grant, attempt to renegotiate the purchase price, or put the sale on hold while the legal dispute plays out. Washington County is expected to take up the issue again at upcoming board meetings, and Ozaukee Christian is still scheduled to host a rebranding event at the campus later this month, according to local coverage from Washington County Insider and the school's announcements. Until those decisions are made, the long term future of the campus, and the community groups that once relied on it, remains very much in limbo.
