University house sold for $655,0000

By Hannah Newman

Once a space intended to house administrators, the university-owned home at 3 West Long Drive sold for $655,000 in December.

Although the property was used as a meeting place and for other miscellaneous purposes in recent years, a long-term purpose for the property was unclear, according to Vice President of External Affairs Kristine Brown.

“It was a valuable piece of property, and without a direct purpose for it … it was time to think about how to sell it and move on from that,” said Brown. 

The university acquired the property in 2011 and used it to house former Dean of Students Anthony Campbell until his retirement in 2016, according to Vice President for Facilities and University Operations Mike Reca. 

Rider purchased the 2,517-square-foot home with the intent of housing administration, so that the Office of Public Safety could move into its current location on Route 206, Reca said. 

Public Safety resided in the General Service building prior to the 2011 purchase, but was forced to move after the Office of Information Technologies needed the location, Reca said.

“When it was deemed that [OIT] needed to move into the General Services building back then, that forced us to do something with the dean and vice president of student affairs,” said Reca. “It was at that time the house at West Long Drive was for sale … . Over the years , it migrated away from that purpose.We found ourselves using it less and less, so we decided to sell it rather than maintain it,”

In later years, it offered housing for faculty and administrators who had longer commutes to the university. 

“We found ourselves using it less and less, so we decided to sell it rather than maintain it,” said Reca.

The house was listed at $675,000 which was a 69.2% increase over its purchased price of $399,000 from 2011. 

During the August 2023 convocation, President Gregory Dell’Omo said the university anticipated the house selling for $650,000, just under its final sale price.

According to Reca, the buyer of the four-bedroom, three-bathroom house could not be disclosed.