Manhattan Christian College to Buy $4 Million Retail, Residential Center to Use for Student Housing, Provide New Revenue Stream

"It will be a great opportunity for us," MCC president Kevin Ingram said.

MCC owned the parcel of land where Anderson Village, a retail and housing building, now stands until 1985. However, the school had to sell the land in the 1980s to pay off some debts.

With the purchase of the land, the college will own almost two city blocks in Manhattan, Kansas. The institution hopes the building will offer more housing opportunities for male students and provide housing for up to 64 students.

"A year from now, it will replace Johnson Hall," Ingram said.

Originally built in 1964, Johnson Hall is the male housing building at MCC. The residence hall needs upgrades, but a renovation estimate from a few years ago totaled $4.5 million, a number that has likely since hiked up since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The retail storefronts at Anderson Village will also remain. They include a Christian coffee shop, a hair salon, a pro-life ministry, a laundromat, and a Christian counseling group. The retail shops will provide rental income to the college.

"It is space that is very student-focused," Ingram said.

MCC already has about $1.1 million for the purchase of the building. Christian Financial Resources are providing financing.

In the fall of 2020, MCC had 179 total students.

MCC was founded in 1927 as Christian Workers University. The school's name was changed to Manhattan Bible College in 1930 and then MCC in 1971.

The school has programs in biblical studies, business administration and management and theology. In 2019, more than 60 percent of graduates earned a Bible or Biblical Studies Bachelor's degree.

Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Guvendemir

Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.