Former Newbury College / Welltower Site Development

The former Newbury College campus, located in the Fisher Hill neighborhood, was recently sold to Welltower, a leading developer of senior housing facilities. Welltower is proposing to redevelop the eastern portion of the former Newbury College campus into a continuing care facility that would include independent living units, assisted living units, and memory care units for seniors. Such a use does not comply with the existing zoning of the property, and Welltower is therefore working with Town officials in the hopes of presenting a rezoning proposal for the subject properties at a Special Town Meeting in March. Welltower has engaged two architectural firms, Robert AM Stern and Finegold Alexander Architects, to prepare site design materials.

The Town is also entering into negotiations with Welltower on the purchase of the western portion of the site. The Town has not yet identified what the property might be used for, but consideration is being given to a 3- or 4-section school, a recreational facility, a storage facility for the Building Department, a training facility for the Police Department, and other uses identified in the Town's Strategic Asset Plan. The Select Board has established the Newbury Zoning Committee to investigate and produce a recommendation on a rezoning proposal for the eastern portion of the site together with associated agreements between the Town and Welltower.