ORONO — A University of Maine System (UMS) Board of Trustees’ committee will convene next week to consider authorizing the sale of 24 acres of land and 50,000-square-feet of built space to generate revenue and savings to sustain student affordability.

At their June 27 meeting, the Board’s Finance, Facilities and Technology (FFT) Committee is expected to take initial votes on requests from the University of Maine (UMaine) to sell the Frederick Hutchinson Center (FHC) in Belfast and the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) to sell buildings and land, according to Samantha Warren, Director of External Affairs | Director of Government & Community Relations, in a news release. They will also consider several UMaine capital projects that will accelerate workforce development and bolster research in sustainable aquaculture and food innovation. 

The full Board would need to give final approval at their regular meeting scheduled July 14-15 in Orono for these proposals to move forward. 

Built in 2000 by MBNA and gifted to UMaine in 2007 by Bank of America, the FHC was once a vibrant hub for university education and community events in the Midcoast, according to Warren. Consistent with trends across the System and higher education nationally, enrollment for courses at the center has shifted online and no degree-seeking students have taken classes in-person there since 2020. Additionally, facility rentals did not rebound to pre-pandemic levels. 

UMaine has invested millions of dollars into FHC capital improvements and owes $885,000 toward an expansion completed in 2009. The property, including a 30,500-square-foot main building, 1,960-square-foot barn and 11.6 acres, is currently appraised at $2.52 million. 

Following two years of stakeholder engagement through which no financially sustainable future operating models emerged, UMaine closed the FHC in 2023 and issued a competitive request for purchase, lease or creative alternative proposals in January. If Trustees authorize the property sale, UMaine anticipates announcing an award in late July and completing the transaction this fall. 

Meanwhile, UMF hopes to sell two unused parcels adjacent to its downtown Farmington campus totaling 12.5 acres, as well as a house being used for office space and a commercial property comprising 17,500 square feet. 

If authorized, revenue generated from these sales would fund construction of a new facilities management building on campus, save UMF at least $35,000 annually in operating costs and result in a net reduction of 11,000 square feet.

Materials for the virtual public meeting, Thursday, June 27, which will be livestreamed starting at 9 a.m., are posted on the Board’s website. 

Right-sizing for the future part of strategic plan 

The FFT Committee will also receive a comprehensive report from System leaders on off-campus sites and centers. 

This review and the Belfast and Farmington sales are consistent with a commitment in the new UMS strategic plan to achieve fiscal and energy efficiencies by selling or leasing buildings and land that are unused or underutilized, typically because of demographic and higher education delivery changes. More than one-third of the System’s credit hours are now earned online. 

Property transfers generate savings to maintain affordable UMS education and improve essential infrastructure, while ensuring university assets can be repurposed to better benefit the public. For example, this month the University of Maine at Presque Isle announced it would sell its Houlton Higher Education Center to an area nonprofit that provides services to individuals with intellectual disabilities. Earlier in the year, the University of Maine at Augusta sold four undeveloped acres to BangorHousing, making way for 50 new units of needed affordable senior housing. Trustees have also recently approved the sale or listing of property in Harmony, Presque Isle and Portland.