A judge has ruled that Washington County, Wisconsin, is allowed to sell the former campus of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Washington County campus to a Christian school.

Wisconsin Public Radio reports that Ozaukee County Judge Steven Cain has denied the Washington County Charitable Foundation’s request for a temporary restraining order and injunction to block the sale of the West Bend campus to FaithRidge Christian School. 

“From the beginning, this lawsuit lacked any basis in the law, and we appreciate Judge Cain’s ruling that ensures this sale can proceed,”  County Executive Josh Schoemann and County Board Chair Jeffrey Schleif said in a joint statement.

The Washington County Charitable Foundation sued the county on March 6. The foundation contended that it had supported local students for years at the Washington County campus, including a $1.1 million gift for renovation and construction of a campus building on the condition its purpose be for public education.

“Those funds, donated by the Foundation with the specific charitable purpose of benefitting public education, dramatically increased the value of the property, the sale of which will result in an unjust windfall to the County and City,” the lawsuit asserted.

The UW-Milwaukee at Washington County campus was permanently closed in June 2024. 

It’s one of eight two-year campuses in the Universities of Wisconsin system to close or announce closure plans because of declining enrollment and budget shortfalls.

FaithRidge Christian School, formerly known as Ozaukee Christian Schools, offered to buy the property for about $3 million.

The total price of the former UW-Milwaukee property was $5 million. The remaining $2 million was to come from a redevelopment grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. That grant has been on hold because of the lawsuit.

According to Washington County, it costs $750,000 a year to maintain the 200,000-square-foot former campus building and the 80 acres it sits on.