
MtIda
UMass Amherst Mt/ Ida campus in Newton. Photo by Bryan McGonigle
The University of Massachusetts Amherst has issued a request for proposals for redevelopment of its campus in Newton, located on the site of the former Mount Ida College, in addition to its main location in Amherst.
Jeff Cournoyer, the assistant chancellor and Mount Ida campus managing director, told the City of Newton he is interested in seeing public-private real estate development that could include additional housing.
“This might be a very big deal for this section of Newton, and we’ll want to be right on top of any potential changes,” said Mayor Ruthanne Fuller in her weekly newsletter.
The Mount Ida campus is 66 acres, of which 50 acres are the core academic, administrative, and residential buildings, and this would remain. Currently, there are about 75 students living at this campus, although there’s space for up to 132 in its newly built dormitory. There are also students who live off-campus but take courses there. In its initial strategic plan for the campus, UMass Amherst said growing its residential student population was one of its goals.
Cournoyer told the City that they are considering adding housing for “young alumni,” or possibly housing for older adults that could also provide practicum experience for UMass students in disciplines like nursing or kinesiology. “The initiative announced today is in line with the Administration’s priority to leverage state-owned land, build new housing, and drive down costs,” said Ed Augustus, Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities, in response to UMass’ announcement of its redevelopment plans for Amherst and Newton.
UMass Amherst purchased the campus in 2018 after Mount Ida College realized it was no longer financially viable as an institution. The campus offers an undergraduate program in veterinary technology, graduate programs in statistics, business analytics, and geographic information science and technology, and a certificate in drone piloting.
The primary aim of UMass in purchasing the campus, however, was to offer its students at the main campus a way to access internships, co-ops, and job opportunities in Boston while both being able to remain enrolled at UMass Amherst and without having to deal with Boston’s notoriously tight housing market. They offer both academic year housing and summer housing.
Because the property is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City has less control over what happens on the land than they would with a private developer. However, any proposals would still need to be reviewed by the City’s Law Department. “We will be in close communication with UMass officials with respect to the RFP process,” said Fuller.