Wells College campus listed for sale

Not long after Wells College's board of trustees selected a broker , the Aurora campus has been listed for sale.

CBRE, a Syracuse-based commercial real estate firm, posted the listing and created a website, wellscollegecampus.com , detailing what's available. The property includes 127 acres and 25 buildings.

In its listing, CBRE says the former campus's amenities "provide a unique opportunity, whether as a turnkey acquisition for another institutional user or as a redevelopment for a creative developer looking to repurpose this beautiful facility."

The Citizen's complete coverage of Wells College's announcement that it will close at the end of the spring semester.

A sale price is not provided. CBRE does have a confidentiality agreement available for parties to fill out so they can track their interest.

The listing was expected after Wells College revealed its decision to hire CBRE to market the campus. The board of trustees shared that information in a newsletter sent to alumni in October.

There has already been interest in buying the property, according to the board.

"Those and any other subsequent proposals we receive will be shared with CBRE and will be evaluated along with others received as a result of CBRE's outreach efforts," the board added. "While there is no reasonable way to predict, we anticipate that the process of finding a viable buyer for the campus may take a year or more to complete."

The marketing of the campus is occurring while there are concerns about the state of its buildings and the college's assets, such as artifacts, artwork and other holdings.

Wells Legacy Society, an alumni group that formed after the college's closure announcement, said the facilities are " at risk of irreparable harm " because they won't be heated during the winter. They cited preservation experts who are concerned about the damage that could be done if there is no heat in the buildings.

The college is working with Christie's, a well-known auction house, to sell most of its assets and consulted with them on the status of the buildings. The trustees noted in their recent newsletter that Christie's advised that "a greater risk of damage from mold and mildew exists if buildings remain heated, since such conditions would promote their growth."

Wells is winterizing the buildings and draining water from the pipes after receiving guidance from Christie's and the state fire marshal.

Wells announced in April that it would close after 156 years. The college formally closed on June 30.

Gallery: Wells College months after it closed

What Wells College looks like months after it closed.

Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or . Love Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox.

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