If you are in the market to buy a college campus, you’re in luck. Just months after it announced it will close following the spring semester in May, Cazenovia College is listed by a Long Island-based real estate firm as being for sale. The listing shows 271 total acres of the campus in Madison County are up for sale, including 500,000 square-foot of buildings and its equestrian center.
The College announced back in December it would not enroll any additional students following the Spring 23 semester:
Cazenovia College has survived through many difficult and challenging times – the Great Depression, World War II, a major campus fire in 1959, and more, but the current financial challenges are more than the College can overcome.
The business realities that led to this extremely difficult decision were accelerated by the global pandemic and skyrocketing inflation. The population of college-aged individuals has been and continues to shrink making it hard for small private colleges like Cazenovia to maintain enrollment levels. Since its peak with nearly 1,000 students on campus, Cazenovia’s enrollment has dropped by over 40 percent.
Additionally, the coronavirus pandemic dramatically impacted recruitment and fundraising efforts while increasing economic burdens for the College. Large investments were made in technology and campus safety measures while enrollment dropped with students choosing to postpone college or take a leave of absence, which negatively impacted the College’s financial situation.
Lastly, the recent uncertainty in the bond and stock markets made it exceedingly difficult to refinance the bond debt which came due in September. Being a small college without a large endowment has made the College’s challenges formidable.
While the College worked tirelessly to strengthen its financial position, unfortunately, these efforts did not create results to ensure long-term viability. The College encourages individuals to review the Q&A documents through the links below for more information regarding the closure process as well as the academic support and transitional services the College will be providing"