Summer 2011 - University of Massachusetts Lowell

F E A T U R E S T O R Y
UMass Lowell’s ‘Footprint’
Grows
BY JACK MCDONOUGH
30 Percent
in FiveYears
St. Joseph’s Hospital Acquisition Helps Meet Growing Space Needs
Close on the heels of two other major acquisitions,
UMass Lowell has made yet another
exciting expansion move, acquiring the sixbuilding
former St. Joseph’s Hospital property
on Pawtucket Street, a master stroke that
connects the University’s three campuses
and further enhances its relationship with the Lowell
community.
With the addition of this property, which follows the
purchase of the DoubleTree Hotel and the Tsongas Center,
the University has increased its “footprint” by 30 percent
over the last five years.
During that period of time, the University has built,
acquired or restored six properties, increasing its presence
by more than 900,000 square feet to a total of more than
three million. In addition to the hospital property, the
DoubleTree and the Tsongas Center, the expansion has
included the East Campus parking garage, the Bellegarde
Boathouse and the Desmarais house at 150 Wilder Street.
The garage, a four-level, $13 million concrete and
steel structure, opened in 2007 and provides 630 parking
spaces for students, faculty and staff. The house and
quarter acre of land at 150 Wilder Street, adjacent to the
South Campus, was donated to the University by Paul
and Linda Desmarais as a tribute to Paul’s late aunt,
Berthe Desmarais, a Lowell high school teacher who
lived there most of her life. The house currently serves as
studio space for the Art Department.
Meanwhile, the Emerging Technologies and Innovation
Center on the North Campus and a South Campus
Health and Social Sciences building, both now under
construction, will add another 152,000 square feet to the
University’s growing footprint.
The acquisition of the St. Joseph’s property alone increased
the size of the University’s holdings by 10 percent
and will help meet the space needs of an undergraduate
student body that has grown by 30 percent in the last
three years. These facilities, which comprise nearly
300,000 square feet of space and come with some 300
parking spaces, physically link the North, South and
East campuses and will be known as University Crossing.
The site was acquired by the UMass Building Authority
on behalf of UMass Lowell for $6.3 million, and the University
will invest additional millions in rehabilitation
work. As part of the sale, the city received $440,000 in
back taxes and water and sewer charges.
The hospital buildings have been mostly unoccupied
since 1992 when St. Joseph’s and St. John’s hospitals
formed the Saints Memorial Medical Center.
City Manager Bernie Lynch said that this and other
recent University projects have “demonstrated its commitment
to quality redevelopment that benefits not
only the University and its students but the entire
community.”
According to a report by the UMass Donahue Institute,
UMass Lowell delivers $490 million annually across the
region in positive economic impact, including the support
of thousands of local jobs and businesses.
“Through this purchase, we’re again making a significant
investment to address the University’s critical need for
additional space, while also revitalizing a Lowell landmark
that has been underutilized for too long,” said Chancellor
Marty Meehan. “We look forward to working with the
campus community and city and neighborhood groups
on plans to reinvigorate this vital area.”
The hospital property, situated at 220 Pawtucket St.,
will house the University Police Department, an expanded
bookstore, space for student services and activities, community
programs, classrooms, faculty offices, a food court
and student housing.
Continued
“Through this
purchase, we’re
again making a
significant investment
to address
the University’s
critical need for
additional space,
while also revitalizing
a Lowell
landmark that has
been underutilized
for too long.”
— Chancellor
Marty Meehan
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