New England College is buying one of the major buildings on Main Street in Henniker for offices and student residential space as part of expansion plans following back-to-back freshmen classes that set records for size.
The school has signed a purchase-and-sale agreement for the three-story building at 20 Main St., best known for containing Sonny’s Main Street Restaurant, said Tom Horgan, senior advisor to college President Michele Perkins.
Sonny’s will remain, as it has a long-term lease.
The building, about 27,000 square feet, was built in 1890 and has been used for various small businesses and apartments.
“As New England College continues to grow our traditional undergraduate enrollment and expand into new academic program areas, in both graduate and online programs, the need for additional residential space for students and office space is also growing,” Perkins said.
The top floors of the building have been used for apartments in recent years and the college expects to update the interiors and remodel the property to accommodate up to 26 students.
The college also plans to relocate the Advancement Department and the School of Graduate and Professional Studies into the building. Other offices will be relocated as needs arise.
As with any of the college’s non-academic buildings, New England College will continue to pay property taxes on the property.
Parking will be expanded slightly.
(David Brooks can be reached at 369-3313, dbrooks@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @GraniteGeek.)
