From the start, a permanent location for Upsala was desired, but lack of money prevented the college from obtaining a site. At the conference meeting in 1894, a resolution was passed "that the Conference fully appreciates Upsala's need for a building of her own, but considers that no such building should be erected or obtained in any way until sufficient means have been secured, and the authorities are prohibited from involving the Conference in any debts without first having received permission from the Conference."

Two laymen, C. A. Peterson and Elias Johnson, said at Upsala's twentieth anniversary that Dr. Beck "traveled widely in Westchester County, Long Island, and New Jersey. They saw several properties, large buildings and land that would be suitable, but what can we do with empty hands?. . . If we had a few thousand dollars, Upsala College would today not be in Kenilworth. Pastor N. G. Johnson. . .worked conscientiously and sought suitable locations with the same difficulty." Places in Kings County were investigated. According to Froeberg, Pastor N. G. Johnson found a suitable farm in Flatbush but the board hesitated over the price asked ($6,000). In 1897 two Brooklyn suburb sites were investigated, one in Blythebourne and "some" nice land in Corona. The latter consisted of twenty-nine lots, which could be purchased for $5,500, of which, it was expectud, the local residents would contribute $1,500. A place in Staten Island in 1894 also received consideration.