FARMINGTON — University of Maine at Farmington President Kathryn A. Foster gave Farmington selectmen a glimpse of a long-range planning strategy for the campus Tuesday night.

The master plan, “Make No Little Plans — UMF 2017-2037,” is the first since 2002, Foster said.

The “flexible set of recommendations for UMF to use over the next 20 years,” according to the plan, was initiated in 2015 and completed last month.

If done by today’s dollar, the projects tally a potential $47 million to $69 million. It is 10½ years of projects spread out over 20 years, she said. The projects are dependent on funding and possibly bond borrowing by Maine residents.

Planners studied the age and conditions of campus buildings, classroom and office space, aesthetics, campus green space, lighting and signage needs to align with the rest of downtown and maintain a New England college-town look, she said.

Guiding principles included community, aesthetics, functionality, sustainability and a “coolness” factor, she said. 

Some recommendations concern potential changes to a couple of public roads on which the town and university will have to work together, she said.

The plan includes:

• Razing three campus buildings and constructing new buildings;

• Renovation of the Student Center;

• Renovation and expansion of the Fitness Center; and

• Creating outdoor spaces around Mantor Library and between the Student Center and Roberts Learning Center. This space would include an outdoor cafe.

The Brinkman building would be razed and a Fine Arts Center would be created in the space. The current Art Gallery would move to a new location and the old building would be demolished. The Honors House on Lincoln Street would be razed for parking, Foster said.

A new Early Childhood Education Center would be built on Prescott Street next to Rollo Pond. The Sweatt-Winter Day Care Program would move to that location.

Potential road changes include making South Street a one-way street for pedestrian safety and adding some diagonal parking.

Another road change is closing Perkins Street from Maguire Street to High Street to create a walking area from residential halls with more green space. These changes would likely affect Academy Street, Foster said.

The plan includes making buildings more handicapped-accessible and making improvements to Prescott Field for athletic and recreational use by the community and UMF, she said.

Nothing will happen right away, she said.

Copies of the plan are available on campus at Mantor Library and at the Farmington Town Office.

abryant@sunmediagroup.net

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