There is a property currently up for sale that would make an ideal ecovillage in central Maine that I wanted to share. It is a 225 acre campus that previously hosted Unity College’s academic and administrative facilities in Unity, Maine. The college has shifted to an entirely online format and has shifted its administrative offices closer to Portland (ME) and will be shutting down its campus for good this spring (2024). I don’t personally have the connections to individuals or organizations (let alone resources) that could make this a reality, but I thought this forum would be the best place to reach that kind of network.
Here are the highlights:
The 90 Quaker Hill Road Campus offers 225 acres of college real estate in Unity, Maine. Unity Environmental University has seen explosive growth in its online educational programs in the last three years, and the campus is not being utilized to its full capacity. The grounds include over 100,000 square feet across 17 main buildings only 35 miles south of Bangor.
Most of the buildings have been renovated or built within the last 10 years, and several include renewable fuel and energy sources. Historically, the campus has operated with 600 residents and features multiple classroom buildings with laboratory space, greenhouses, a dining hall, a student activities center with a kitchen, a full-size NCAA basketball court, and a fitness center. Additional campus features include open fields, nature trails, a livestock area, and three electric vehicle charging stations.
The 150-acre campus also includes a 75-acre farm located a few miles away, with 10 acres of certified organic arable land and 50,000 sq ft of greenhouse space. Additionally, the campus and farm are located within 10 miles of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) campus that hosts the world-renown Common Ground Fair, billed as an “annual celebration of rural living”, featuring “1000-plus exhibitors and speakers, and emphasizes vibrant communities, sustainable living and local economies, while highlighting organic agriculture”.
It seems like the ideal property for creating an intentional community if there were parties with enough interest and resources. My connection to this property is that I was the farm and greenhouse manager at its 75 acre farm property, where we had built a rapily growing farm business centered around organically grown produce for the campus dining program, fresh herbs and dried spices packaged in sustainable (compostable and non-plastic) packaging, and what was on track to be the state’s first certified organic lavender farm, that the college decided to terminate despite annual growth rates around 400%.
If anyone is interested, here’s a link to the property listing (and please keep me in the loop if this gets any traction!):
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/90-Quaker-Hill-Rd-Unity-ME/29394586/