Trustees committee forwards plan to remove Crossland Alumni Center, pledges space and funds for Franco‑American Center

The University of Maine System Finance, Facilities and Technology Committee on a 7‑0 roll call vote on Thursday recommended that the full Board of Trustees authorize up to $3 million to remove the Crossland Alumni Center and to expand and reconfigure nearby parking and access on the north end of the Orono campus.

The committee’s approval forwards a package to the January 26 Board meeting that would fund removal of Crossland and improvements to the Wells, Dunn and Corbett parking lots, plus realignment of Long Road, Gym Drive and University Mall walking pathways. Trustee Mishu moved the recommendation and Trustee Kaine seconded; the motion carried on a roll call where all present voted yes.

The recommendation is part of a larger North Campus reconfiguration tied to construction of the Morse Arena and other Alfond‑funded projects. President Frey Mundy told trustees the demolition is a piece of a multi‑phase plan intended to preserve program access, maintain parking capacity and improve safety. “This is a project with lots of pieces,” Frey Mundy said, and the university will bring phases back to the board for review and authorization.

University staff described a sequence of program moves intended to limit service disruption. Vice President Jenny (finance and administration) said the Spruce Budworm Lab will move into renovated space in Daring Hall (funding includes a $600,000 CDS award) and that the Franco‑American Center would temporarily relocate to the first floor of Libby Hall while ESL is renovated as its long‑term home. Jenny told trustees the ESL renovation has been identified with $500,000 in preliminary funding and that the Spruce Budworm move is tentatively scheduled for spring 2027.

Provost Gabe Pette emphasized the system’s commitment to Franco‑American programs and described the ESL move as “a major investment” that will provide a more suitable, house‑like facility for the center.

The committee also heard about parking impacts tied to arena construction: staff said construction would temporarily remove about 200 spaces; planned expansions and reconfigurations (Wells expansion, a new soccer lot and Dunn/Corbett reconfiguration) would add roughly 208 spaces combined, generally intended to recapture capacity rather than create a net gain.

Legal counsel told the committee the system’s review of historic deeds dates to the 1860s and that, in counsel’s view, the university has legal authority to proceed. “In our legal opinion, the university is well within its legal rights to take this action,” the general counsel said.

Trustees acknowledged heavy public interest — student governments and community members submitted letters and petitions — and stressed that public comment will be solicited at the full Board meeting before any final action. Trustee Kates and other trustees repeatedly distinguished program relocation (a campus operational decision) from demolition (a board‑level authorization) and emphasized the university will seek to minimize disruption to Franco‑American programming.

What’s next: the committee’s authorization recommendation will be considered by the full Board of Trustees on Jan. 26. The committee and campus staff said they would circulate more detailed sequencing and cost information in advance of that meeting and that the university plans further community outreach.