Liberty University may get satellite campus

Liberty University may acquire a satellite campus in the rural town of Northfield, Mass., providing a brick-and-mortar outpost for online students from the Northeast and, possibly, a secluded site for an undergraduate honors program.

If the deal goes through, the property would be a gift to Liberty from the family of Steve Green, an Oklahoma billionaire and president of Hobby Lobby, a craft store chain with Christian roots.

“We deeply appreciate the Green family and Hobby Lobby contacting Liberty and making this offer… We appreciate their confidence in Liberty,” said LU Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr.

The stately, 217-acre campus was built in 1879 by evangelist D.L. Moody on the Connecticut River. For decades, it was home to the Northfield Mount Hermon School, a prestigious boarding school that has since relocated.

The property includes 43 buildings ranging from academic halls to dormitories to an athletics facility with an indoor pool.

In 2009, the Green family bought the site for $100,000 and has since invested $5 million in improvements.

Hobby Lobby recently invited 15 Christian schools and organizations to submit proposals of possible uses of the property.

The goal is to donate the campus to a school or organization with the funds to maintain its century-old buildings and uphold its Christian heritage, said Jerry Pattengale, a college administrator hired by Hobby Lobby to find a new owner.

Liberty responded with strong interest and is a top contender, said Pattengale.

“All I can say at this point is that they’re in a very strong position,” he said. “[Liberty] has a great track record, and they really resonate with the campus. They are certainly one of the very strong candidates.”

Falwell, who visited the campus in January, called it “stunning” and said the buildings are in top-notch condition.

He said Liberty’s proposal is to become part-owners of the campus with another Christian institution. Northfield’s remote location and high cost of upkeep precludes Liberty from wanting to take full ownership.

“Several other colleges are interested,” Falwell said. “We’re hoping that maybe two or three could jointly own the property and could each use it for different purposes.”

The Green family has a storied history of strategically buying properties to donate to Christian schools and churches.

In Lynchburg, the Greens bought the former Ericsson manufacturing plant on Candler’s Mountain Road and donated it to the Falwells. The gift was instrumental to Liberty’s growth and today serves as the hub of campus.

Liberty devoted more than 1,000 hours to its proposal for Northfield. The university became a contender after the C.S. Lewis Foundation, which planned to found a liberal arts college on the site, failed to reach its fundraising goal last December. That prompted Hobby Lobby to look for an owner with a stronger financial picture.

If Liberty becomes a part-owner, their preliminary plans are to develop an honors program there and hold classroom sessions for online students.

“I think we could put together some programs that would benefit our students and would be a real positive,” Falwell said.

Pattengale said the final decision falls with the Green family and is not expected for at least two months. 

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Liberty University may get satellite campus