Catholic group buys Boeing's sprawling former leadership campus

Source: Yahoo

FLORISSANT, Mo. -- Boeing's sprawling former leadership center in St. Louis County has been sold to a Catholic group. The Augustine Institute, known for its Catholic content and education, has acquired a 284-acre property.

The Institute plans to relocate its headquarters and Graduate School of Theology, currently located near Denver, to this site by fall 2024 for the new academic year. This move marks the first stage in transforming the property into a hub for evangelization.

The Augustine Institute in Denver faced growth challenges, including the lack of student housing and high living costs, which complicated recruitment efforts. To address this, the Institute raised $50 million in just a few months to purchase a new campus in Florissant, Missouri.

Catholic group buys Boeing's sprawling former leadership campus

"The greater St. Louis area is ideal for our new center," states President of the Augustine Institute Dr. Tim Gray. "We are grateful for the warm welcome we have received from Archbishop Rozanski and the archdiocese. We are excited about the Augustine Institute's future in north St. Louis County and being of service to local Catholics in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the surrounding dioceses."

"I believe that the Augustine Institute will transform this property into the premier center for the New Evangelization in the United States," states St. Louis Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski. "By leveraging St. Louis' central location, the Augustine Institute can foster a new era of collaboration with Catholic organizations nationwide and invite more people to encounter Jesus Christ and his Church."

The sprawling campus includes extensive educational and residential facilities, positioned near the confluence of Missouri's major rivers. Boeing previously operated the site as a leadership training center.