LEWISTON – Small clusters of dorms. A new dining hall and athletic center. Parking for another 250 cars.

Bates College has unveiled its master plan.

And many neighbors say they don’t like what they see.

“It’s impressive for meeting Bates’ needs,” said Richard Wagner, a retired Bates professor who lives next to the campus. “But it doesn’t take into account that Bates is part of a larger community.”

On Tuesday night, Bates officials for the first time met with neighbors to present the college’s new master plan. The project has three phases and could take 20 to 25 years to complete.

College President Elaine Tuttle Hansen initiated the master plan more than a year-and-a-half ago. During the meeting, she repeatedly referred to it as a “road map,” emphasizing its ability to be changed.

“A plan like this is a living document,” she said. “It’s not a blueprint. It’s not something that is fixed in stone.”

In phase one, the college would build a new dining facility and a cluster of two or three residential halls at the base of Mt. David, next to Rand Hall. In phase two, it would build small dorm clusters near Russell Street and near Page Hall on College Street and it would alter some of its buildings on Campus Avenue, moving in its cafe, bookstore and other facilities. Under phase three, the college would add to the library and would likely tear down Chase Hall to build an addition to the Carnegie science building. It would also build a new athletic center near the current sports fields.

The college would create parking spaces during all three phases, eventually adding 250 on-campus spaces by the end. It currently has 880 spaces for 2,500 staff and students.

College officials said they have not calculated the entire cost of the plan, but estimated the first phase could run between $20 million and $50 million to complete. Hansen said she would like phase one to happen in the next five years.

The college has spoken informally with Lewiston officials about the plan. Late last week, it sent letters to 120 nearby households inviting them to meet Tuesday. About 25 people showed up.

Wagner was the first neighbor to speak after Hansen’s 45-minute presentation. He said he was afraid the Mt. David dorms would lower his property values by $50,000 to $100,000. He was also concerned that the average Lewiston resident wouldn’t have access to the popular nature spot anymore.

“If you put dorms there, people aren’t going to want to go there any more,” he said.

Mark Duchette, owner of the Russell Street Variety, said he was worried that he would lose student business if Bates moved its own cafe and bookstore onto Campus Avenue, just down the street from his store.

“We get the impression that no matter what they say, they don’t want the kids to leave campus,” he said.

Other neighbors said they would like to see some of the the college-owned Wood and College street homes torn down. One man suggested the college invest in underground parking, alleviating the parking problems that have plagued the area.

Officials said they would take the concerns and suggestions into consideration. They urged neighbors to write with other questions.

College officials plan to meet with Bates trustees later this month to refine a timeline. They must still choose an architect for the project.

BREAKOUT>>>>

Bates College master plan

Phase one: new dining facility, a small cluster of dorms at the base of Mt. David.

Phase two: small dorm clusters near Russell Street and on College Street, move its cafe, bookstore and other facilities onto Campus Avenue.

Phase three: tear down Chase Hall, build an addition to the Carnegie science building, add on to the library, build a new athletic center

All phases: create parking spaces, eventually adding 250.