Spring Grove Property Approved as Future Space for UMBC

Wed, 11 May 2022 17:38:50 -0400

We are delighted to announce that a proposal by Governor Larry Hogan to transfer the 175-acre Spring Grove Hospital Center property to UMBC was approved today by the Maryland Board of Public Works. The Board also approved a lease between UMBC and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) to enable the agency's continued operation of the Spring Grove Hospital Center for up to 20 years while MDH implements its facilities master plan for statewide mental health services.

The transfer of the property allows the UMBC community to plan for our future facilities needs concurrent with MDH's continued occupancy. Once MDH has vacated all buildings on the site, the lease will terminate and the property will be available for use by UMBC.

UMBC has talked with public officials and community leaders for decades about our need for future expansion space at Spring Grove. This commitment reflects the appreciation state leaders have for all that our campus has accomplished and will accomplish in the future.

UMBC does not yet have a specific plan for the site. Having clarity about where we can continue to grow allows us to plan wisely for a very bright future. The campus will engage with the State, the County, community leaders, and other partners as part of our regular master facilities planning process. Through this process we will envision a future for the Spring Grove property that supports the university's long-term development while strengthening economic development and quality of life in the Baltimore region and Maryland. This work will begin as we approach our master facilities plan update in 2023.

In the meantime, we can all take pride in this important recognition of the university's momentum.

Thank you for all that you do for UMBC.

President Freeman Hrabowski

Provost Philip Rous