Wed, 01/17/2024 - 8:30am

The Hutchinson Center entrance on Route 3 in Belfast. (Photo courtesy UMaine)

BELFAST – Last summer, the University of Maine, based on its Orono campus, abruptly announced that it was closing the Belfast Hutchinson Center, a higher learning campus. Now, UMaine is circulating a request for proposals for repurposing the Center.

The 16,675-square-foot facility was constructed in 2000 and acquired by the university in 2006. In 2007, the university constructed an additional 13,841-square-foot wing. The university closed operations of the center in August 2023.

An appraisal was conducted and concluded that the value of the property is $2.52 million. The university currently holds a bond for the construction of the additional wing with a balance of approximately $1 million.

The RFP includes options for sale, lease or other creative solutions. This RFP will provide a fair and competitive process for all parties interested. The response deadline for the initial proposal opening is Feb. 5, 2024 on or before 2 p.m. EST.

For a copy of the RFP 2024-048, refer to University of Maine System website: http://www.maine.edu/strategic-procurement/upcoming-bids/

UMaine said in its news release that it, “remains committed to providing quality educational opportunities in Waldo County via online education, through academics, professional development offerings and University of Maine Cooperative Extension programming.”

About the University of Maine: The University of Maine, founded in Orono in 1865, is the state's land grant, sea grant and space grant university, with a regional campus at the University of Maine at Machias. UMaine is located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation. UMaine Machias is located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation. As Maine's flagship public university, UMaine has a statewide mission of teaching, research and economic development, and community service. UMaine is the state's public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution. It attracts students from all 50 states and 92 countries. UMaine currently enrolls 11,571 undergraduate and graduate students, and UMaine Machias enrolls 763 undergraduates.