Previous Story
NMC seeks to tie up with private firm for residence hall
The Northern Marianas College is seeking to partner with private developers or investors to build a new residence hall and student center.
According to a recent “request for interest,” the college described the student housing projects as “a contemporary full service student residence hall.”
The student center is estimated to be 27,000 square feet, with preliminary design specifications already set by the college.
The size and design for the residence hall has yet to be determined.
NMC wants a private-public partnership with an interested group to fund and develop the two projects long-term.
The partnership entails that developers or investors come up with an architecture and engineering design for the facilities on campus or around the area, as well as cost estimates for these projects.
Developers or investors would finance, build these projects, and then operate and maintain them.
Under this arrangement, NMC noted that its “sole investment and commitment” would be to identify and make available for use and occupancy a property owned by the college.
The developer and NMC would move forward under mutually agreed terms for construction, management, and operation, according to the RFI.
One of the college’s minimum requirements is for the developer to have experience with “alternative energy and efficient designs,” as well as project experience particular to the CNMI.
The college’s move toward private financing, construction, and management of student housing follows a recent trend nationwide, with the University of Kentucky, Montclair State University in New Jersey, and Portland State University, among others, who have gone forward or are considering private means over pubic funds to develop housing, according to a report this year from The New York Times.
For their other capital improvement efforts, NMC regent William Torres disclosed that the college has been “notified of receipt of close to $270,000 in new money” from a meeting last month with Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Esther Kai’aina in Washington, D.C.
Torres noted that the college would soon submit its solar energy and reverse osmosis proposals to the Office of Insular Affairs as well.
