Hamilton Planning Board presents three buildout scenarios for Gordon-Conwell campus

HAMILTON — May 16, 2023 — Hamilton's Planning Board laid out three development scenarios for the 103-acre Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary campus at a May 16 public informational meeting. Board members Rick Mitchell, Amel Doust, and Jonathan Poore presented illustrative plans ranging from a low-capacity option of roughly 26 new dwelling units at approximately 65,000 square feet to a high-capacity scenario adding an estimated 80-bed congregate senior care facility, with a medium option in between at approximately 68 units and 151,000 square feet. The campus currently holds roughly 400,000 square feet of existing buildings across 103 acres. A seminary representative identified as Dr. Barnes told attendees the institution's future footprint remains undecided and depends on zoning and market conditions, adding that senior and over-55 housing is "the hottest part of the market right now." The board is targeting a draft overlay district for a special town meeting in late October or early November 2023, with the next public session scheduled for June 6.