AMHERST — Hampshire College is undertaking a conceptual master plan for its campus over the next three months that will show possibilities for reusing existing buildings and for new construction, along with examples of similar housing developments and cultural destinations.
College officials announced last Thursday that they have hired Elkus Manfredi Architects of Boston to develop a plan and vision for the campus, as the college considers the future of its 800-acre property and the Hampshire legacy. Hampshire is closing after the fall semester.
The idea of this work will be to give a better sense of what can happen on the most developable parcels that would be sold to satisfy the college’s debt obligations, create a possible path for Hampshire as a nonprofit entity and to collaborate more effectively with the town of Amherst, which is in the midst of a zoning study funded by MassDevelopment.
“The philanthropic financing we received this summer offers us the time to move more deliberately as we consider both prospective buyers and future uses,” College President Jennifer Chrisler said in a statement.
Chrisler is referencing the $29.5 million loan that has allowed the college to stay solvent for its summer and fall teach-out.
“We want to lead in thinking about the future of the campus and how Hampshire can model what happens when a college ceases academic operations,” Chrisler said. “Looking comprehensively at the campus will help us identify the right partners and solutions, while giving us a stronger foundation for collaborating with the town of Amherst.”
Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman said the town welcomes the development of the comprehensive plan.
“This work will further refine the college’s vision, which will be useful as the town conducts its zoning study,” Bockelman said. “We appreciate the excellent working relationship we have with the college on multiple levels and look forward to continuing to collaborate with the college to ensure the future uses of the campus meet both the town’s goals and the college’s needs.”
For the 632 acres in Amherst — there are also 168 acres in Hadley — MassDevelopment is paying for the technical assistance and expertise on environmental, land use and economic development. As it stands, the campus currently can only be used for educational purposes, though future educational uses would continue to be allowed based on state law.
Consultants are expected to develop zoning options and present likely scenarios at a public forum in November. A report with recommendations, including for zoning changes, will be ready for the Town Council in January.
The work the college is spearheading will be led by David Manfredi, CEO and founding principal at Elkus Manfredi. It comes as Hampshire continues to work with Region Commercial to market its property and engage with possible real estate partners.
“Forward-looking planning of this kind allows us to understand the campus as a collection of flexible building blocks and consider how they can work together over time,” Manfredi said. “By looking at the property holistically, we can explore different combinations of existing assets, new uses and development opportunities and help Hampshire create a framework designed to achieve the greatest possible benefit for the college, partners, the town and the broader community.”
This plan will consider a variety of uses, including a mix of homes developed by private developers, which could be senior housing, market-rate housing and faculty and alumni housing for the Five College community.
The hope is to also use Hampshire’s legacy of learning, inquiry and ethical citizenship to identify areas on campus that could foster opportunities for educational and arts-related activities, and what the college refers to as a mindful approach to environment and conservation efforts.
“We want to develop a framework that makes sense for this property and for Hampshire’s future,” Chrisler said. “Our work with Elkus Manfredi Architects will put us in a stronger position to evaluate partners and proposals, work collaboratively with the town and make thoughtful decisions about the next steps for the campus.”
“Even as we grieve what was, we are committed to preserving a meaningful legacy for Hampshire,” Chrisler added.
