Located on a prominent corner in downtown Waterville, this 200-bed mixed-use student housing facility is the college’s first off-campus housing project and the flagship component of a multi-pronged investment to revitalize the city’s Main Street. All residents must volunteer with a local organization or do community-based independent study, and the building’s design reflects these literal student connections to the town. The five-story structure consists of four floors of residential space, with retail, student amenities, and a town/gown community forum designed to foster student engagement in civic affairs on the ground floor. Granite piers and storefronts recall traditional Maine commercial architecture, while residential floors faced in red brick with masonry ornamentation echo Colby’s main campus. Glazed curtain walls at significant corners create transparency, blurring the lines between college and city.
