The College purchased the ten properties on South Block from the Hanover Investment Corporation in 2000 after the investor compiling the individual properties "had a change of heart in terms of whether to move forward," said John Caulo, who is the South Block project manager and the associate director of Dartmouth real estate.
Caulo explained that in redeveloping the Block, the College hoped to add more housing space for the Dartmouth community, further the availability of retail space downtown and give new architectural life to the area.
"While the downtown is not an extension of the campus, it complements the campus in that a vital downtown has the potential for enriching the college experience for students and faculty alike," Caulo said. The new properties will allow the College to provide more retail stores, entertainment locations and housing.
At the time of the transaction between Dartmouth and the investment group, the Block contained a mix of residential and commercial units, including 15 to 20 small apartments, Ramunto's Brick and Brew Pizza, Hanover True Value Hardware and Cafe Buon Gustaio.
The construction of residential and commercial space at 3 South Street and 68 and 72 South Main Street will mark the end of the final phase of the project, making available a total of 27 apartments to Dartmouth. The plans include a freestanding duplex, commercial space and a parking garage.
Construction for the redevelopment was initially delayed as residential neighbor Winifred Stearns appealed the town of Hanover's decision to give the College the necessary building permits.
"There were a number of decisions made that were not in the best interest of the neighborhood," Stearns, whose husband and children attended Dartmouth, said, "We are a big Dartmouth family, but we live in this town and don't want it destroyed within the College."
One of Stearns' criticisms was that the Block's parking garage improperly ventilated onto her residential street, but Caulo said the Planning Board and the court rejected these complaints after a review. He affirmed that the College is dedicated to local businesses and the town itself.
"The college is a long-term stakeholder in the community -- it has been here for several hundred years and it will be here for several hundred more," Caulo said. "So, perhaps unlike a private developer, [the College] has the ability to take a very long-range view and act in a way that embraces not only its own goals but community goals as well."
In regards to the business's relocation to allow for construction, Ramunto's owner Vincent Mackle felt that the College "was very, very, very fair."
Asked if the new location off of South Main Street -- which opened Dec. 15 -- would impact his business, Mackle said that he was given the option of staying on South Main Street but decided to move to avoid having to close or transfer his business twice.
"I outweigh not being on Main Street with the fact that we have an all new place with more seating and an outside patio in the summer," he said. The new location features 40 more seats than the previous one.
