A $100 million residence hall and student center project at the University of Southern Maine in Portland has been delayed by the coronavirus outbreak.
The Kennebec Journal reports that university officials now are looking at an opening in May 2023.
The project had been scheduled to be finished by August 2022, but has been pushed back as the university reassesses finances and because of initial permitting delays,
“We’re doing our due diligence in reviewing every project particularly in light of what has happened and what potentially could happen under COVID-19,” says the university's chief operating officer, Nancy Griffin.. “We’re really excited about this project and deeply committed to it. It is a priority for the institution.”
She says the university is re-evaluating the cost of the student center portion of the project, which was originally estimated at $30 million.
The university and Capstone Development Partners, the project developer, are looking at a smaller student center, Griffin says; the university has asked Capstone to decrease the cost to around $25 million.
The new timeline for the project includes a soft opening in May 2023 and full opening of the 577-bed residence hall, the first student housing on Southern Maine’s Portland campus, and student center in fall 2023.
The university also will conduct another market analysis in the fall of demand for student housing, but Griffin says she anticipates being able to fill the student beds.
