Four new buildings are envisioned on Mayflower Hill in the 10 to 15 years covered by The Plan for Colby, and the first--a new alumni and development center--is already on the drawing board.

The strategic planning initiative that provided a framework for the College's foreseeable growth recognized needs for three new academic buildings and the alumni center. The latter will give alumni a more central presence on campus in a facility designed to accommodate alumni functions as well as certain other events that don't easily fit into existing venues on campus. The center will be located across Mayflower Hill Drive from the F.W. Olin Science Center, roughly between Lunder House (admissions) and the Hill House (the guest house behind the tennis courts).

Ann Beha Architects, a firm from Boston, was selected in the spring to design the facility, and early schematic designs show a building of about 26,000 square feet located away from the road, near the tree line. Refinements of the design were being hammered out this fall by the architects working with a building committee, and the trustees were expected to review concepts at their October meeting.

In addition to providing function space, the alumni and development center will house offices of the College Relations Division--alumni relations, development and communications. Moving those administrators out of quarters in Eustis and Millett will free up space for other administrative offices now housed in Lovejoy. Other shifts will create a domino effect that will open up much needed space for additional faculty offices as well, alleviating overcrowding in administrative and academic departments.

The other three building projects proposed in The Plan for Colby include a science building, a music instruction and performance space and a social sciences and interdisciplinary studies center. Next up on that list is likely to be the social sciences building, referred to in The Plan for Colby as a center for public and international affairs.