Soon-to-close Trinity Christian College Hits Market

A soon-to-close private college in a Chicago suburb south of the city is already drawing redevelopment buzz as it heads to the sale block.

Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights is listed for sale ahead of its planned shutdown later this year, with CBRE tapped to market the 60-acre campus. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the brokerage’s Anne Rahm, Matt Ishikawa and Tom Svoboda are leading the effort, and early interest is coming from a mix of residential developers and institutional users, Rahm said.

The college’s Board of Trustees voted in November to wind down operations after the 2025–2026 academic year, citing mounting financial strain. Acting President Jeanine Mozie pointed to persistent operating deficits, enrollment declines and shifting donor support as key drivers for the decision to close, according to the outlet.

Pricing hasn’t been disclosed as the brokerage tests the market.The college’s $20 million mortgage on the entirety of the campus’ properties, originated Jan. 7 2025, was reassigned from Bank of New York Mellon Trust to Kansas City-based UMB Bank a few days before the November vote, according to Cook County records.

The listing offers a sizable potential infill redevelopment opportunity roughly 10 miles from Midway Airport — a rarity in a region where many shuttered colleges sit in more remote locations. Rahm said that dynamic is helping fuel buyer interest.

The campus includes 22 academic and administrative buildings totaling about 467,000 square feet, along with four residence halls with nearly 600 beds. The property also features 928 parking spaces and amenities like the Ozinga Chapel Auditorium, a nearly 1,200-seat venue that has been well maintained, according to CBRE.

“There’s been a great deal of interest,” Rahm told the publication, noting inquiries from local and national groups.

Trinity’s roots date back to the 1950s, when it acquired land that had previously been developed as a golf course. Elements of that past remain, including the original clubhouse, adding another layer of potential adaptive reuse for a buyer.

CBRE is pitching a range of possible outcomes for the site, including mixed-use, residential, medical or recreational redevelopment, according to the outlet. Still, Rahm said a higher education user could ultimately emerge as the most logical fit given the campus layout and condition.

The offering reflects a broader wave of small college closures, particularly across the Midwest, where institutions have struggled to recover from pandemic-era enrollment shocks and long-term demographic shifts. Trinity joins a growing list that includes Trinity International in Bannockburn and Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, which shut down in 2024.

With commencement scheduled for May 8 and limited summer programming extending into August, a deal could come together quickly. Rahm said a sale could close as early as September if a buyer is secured in the coming months.