University trustees authorize removal of Crossland Hall, pledge ongoing reporting on Franco‑American Center relocation

The University of Maine System Board of Trustees voted in January to authorize up to $3 million for removal of Crossland Hall and related north‑campus infrastructure improvements, including parking expansions and road realignments, while adding an explicit commitment that the system will report periodically to the board on relocation planning and the long‑term sustainability of the Franco‑American Center.

The decision followed a sustained public comment period in which students, legislators and community members mounted a broad appeal to preserve Crossland Hall. Troy Jackson, a former state legislator who spoke during public comment, said he opposed moving the Franco‑American Center out of Crossland because “that history was where I found it… if you move it across hall, I guarantee you it’ll die on the vine.” Alan Grover, a University of Maine student, told trustees the center provides a “homelike environment” that cannot easily be replicated offsite. Other speakers, including Tony Brinkley and Debbie Rober, read petition statements and described the building’s role as a cultural and community hub.

Trustees and university leaders described a separate problem: engineering assessments and campus facilities surveys have for years identified Crossland as a building past its useful life and, the administration says, too costly to retrofit to modern codes and accessibility standards. The university’s facilities consultant (Gordian) and internal estimates were cited during committee discussions as the basis for concluding the building’s condition and repair cost made demolition the fiscally responsible option.

Chair Trish Riley said the board and university are committed to the Franco‑American Center and to finding appropriate space for its programs: “We strongly support the Franco‑American Center,” she said during the session, while noting the board’s obligation to address deferred maintenance across the system. The board added a procedural commitment to the motion: the university will provide bianual (every six months) reports to the trustees about the relocation of the center and plans to sustain its programs.

The measure passed on a roll call vote (majority yes; one recorded ‘no’). Trustee comments during the debate showed a range of views: some trustees said delaying a decision would only increase costs and risk to the building, while others urged extra time to consider community fundraising or reuse options. Trustees made clear that decisions about where a program is housed are operational decisions for the university, but the board retained responsibility for capital decisions affecting system property.

What happens next: university staff said they will proceed with demolition sequencing that is coordinated with an already scheduled set of north‑campus infrastructure projects (parking reconfigurations and road improvements) intended to replace and reorganize surface parking lost to other construction. Trustees also urged the administration to work closely with Franco‑American Center leaders and community stakeholders on interim space and a long‑term plan, and to ensure archival materials and community artifacts are protected during the transition.