HAVERHILL | It has looked like a ghost town for seven years | paint chipping from walls of buildings, a few broken windows, and not a soul in sight.
Since mid-2000, neighbors have peered at Bradford College, which once teemed with students and teachers, and have barely seen anyone on the property.
But that is changing now, with the arrival of the first crew of workers who will transform it back into a thriving campus.
About 60 students of Zion Bible College and several faculty members and administrators traveled to Haverhill over the weekend and rolled up their sleeves to help work crews get a start on renovations that will allow Zion to move to the campus next year. They spent about eight hours cleaning and hauling furniture out of Haseltine and Academy halls, said interim Zion President Dr. Richard Lafferty of Methuen.
"These are mission-minded students who are interested in community service," Lafferty said. "They are very excited about their new school and although many of them have been here before to look at the campus, this was the first opportunity for them to see inside the buildings."
Lafferty, who also is a pastor at Riverside Assembly of God in Methuen, said several parishioners from his church also joined the group. He said the ladies group at his Methuen church prepared 65 lunches for the workers, who included Zion's dean of students and a vice president of the college.
Large Dumpsters are outside several of the college's largest buildings that face South Main Street, and a fence has been installed around the property.
Zion Bible College is receiving "soaring" interest from prospective seminary students as it prepares to inaugurate a new president and move from Rhode Island to its new home in Bradford, Lafferty said.
Zion anticipates having about 400 dormitory rooms ready for students when it opens for classes in the fall of 2008 at the 18-acre Haverhill campus.
There are about 300 student rooms in two newer buildings on the back of the campus that "just need a little paint and TLC," Lafferty said. Another 100 or so rooms on the third floor of Academy Hall need a little more work but are expected to be ready for the anticipated opening, he said.
About 250 students are enrolled at Zion's Rhode Island campus, though the school had as many as 600 students at its peak several years ago. There were about 500 students at Bradford College when financial problems caused the 197-year-old liberal arts school to close in 2000.
The Bradford campus sat vacant and deteriorating until it was purchased last month by David Green, the billionaire businessman and evangelical Christian who founded The Hobby Lobby chain of retail stores. Zion trains ministers, missionaries and teachers for the Assemblies of God denomination, of which Green is a member.
Green plans to make $3 million to $5 million in renovations to the property's main buildings and donate the campus to Zion next summer.
"Hobby Lobby owns the property until they give it to us next year, but we were invited to help and we were happy to volunteer," Lafferty said. "We'll do it again if we're asked."
Mayor James Fiorentini greeted the group over the weekend and welcomed them to the city, he said. He said he went inside only Bradford's Academy Hall, one of the main buildings, and that it looked "pretty bad." He said the buildings were never "cleared out" after the college closed in 2000.
"It looks like a building that's been unused and uncleaned for seven years," he said of Academy Hall. "It's dirty, there's lots of water damage and broken up furniture, and the rugs are all ripped and frayed."
Zion officials have said they are focusing their attention initially on the campus library and Academy and Haseltine halls, two of the three large white buildings that face South Main Street. The third building that faces the road, Denworth Hall, will be renovated later, college officials have said. Denworth, which houses a large auditorium, has suffered the most neglect and damage among the property's main buildings, city officials have said.
Zion expects a surge in admissions next semester due to its incoming new president and its plans to move to Haverhill, Lafferty said. The Rev. Dr. Charles Crabtree will take over in the late spring and lead the transition to Haverhill, Lafferty said.
"(Crabtree) is known throughout the evangelical world," Lafferty said. "With our new campus and our new president, we expect to draw students from across the globe. Admissions are already soaring."
Merrimack Valley
December 11, 2007
Zion Bible College work crews reviving long-idle Bradford campus
- Merrimack Valley
-
-
State officials asked to investigate Adams
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Democratic Party has asked state election officials to investigate whether state Rep. Paul Adams benefited from "a multi-step financial scheme" to mislead voters about how his 2010 campaign was financed.
Continued ... -
Love's Enduring Promise: By Peggy's side
Editor's Note: In the spirit of Valentine's Day, The Eagle-Tribune asked readers to tell us stories about their lasting relationships — how they worked through the challenges over the years and kept their love healthy and alive. The series begins today and continues through Tuesday, Feb. 14, highlighting compelling stories of Love's Enduring Promise.
Continued ... -
Despite new law, local towns say no to GIC
Joining the state's Group Insurance Commission is not the only option local communities are looking at in fighting the high cost of health care coverage for their employees.
Continued ...
The deadline for cities and towns to join the state plan is March 1. - Mass. schools suspend thousands under 'zero-tolerance'
- Don't print that
- Pets of the week
- Community calendar
- Saturday, February 11, 2012
- Early morning, two-alarm fire on High Street, Haverhill drives family out of house
- Back on the home front
- Marine gets big welcome
- Gym damage forces shift of voting site
- Five candidates to run for Andover's top board
- Burglars hit fire damaged home
- Church celebrates renovations, anniversary
- Couple caught stealing $889 in groceries
- Man charged with hat theft
- Man arrested after chase
- Friday, February 10, 2012
- Spanish class exchange lets LHS, Phillips Academy students discover common interests
- Write your own success stories, students told
- State of city deadline missed again
- Retiring moderator's advice: 'Stay out of arguments'
- Man facing child porn charges said that he attended Merrimack
- Lantigua fails to file campaign finance reports
- Methuen, Lawrence Democrats to elect state convention delegates
- Councilor withdraws customer service crackdown
- Moran planning a run for 17th Essex Representative
- Two correction officers suspended for barroom brawl
- Merrimack Valley YMCA honors staff members
- Man accused of stealing gold rings from roommate
- Cash, liquor stolen from club
-
State officials asked to investigate Adams
