Linsley Hall Redevelopment
Campus News
An underutilized residence hall on the edge of Framingham State University’s campus near Route 9 is set to be converted into low-cost academic housing, thanks to a $6.6 million allocation to FSU from the Commonwealth’s Fair Share funding.
The money will be used to convert Linsley Hall, which is no longer in use during the academic year, into 32 apartments available to Framingham State faculty, staff and graduate students, and possibly outside educational organizations that have expressed interest, including The Learning Center for the Deaf and Framingham Public Schools.
The Fair Share Amendment, passed by Massachusetts voters in 2022, raises revenue for public education and transportation initiatives through a 4 percent surtax on incomes over $1 million, indexed annually to inflation. Fair Share funds have generated a surplus of nearly $1.3 billion for the legislature to allocate to projects statewide.
The $6.6 million will first be used to remodel Linsley Hall into six two-bedroom apartments, six three-bedroom apartments and 20 studio apartments, which will be available for both long-term and short-term leases.
“Many new faculty and other employees who are transitioning to this area need a temporary place to stay as they look for housing,” says FSU President Nancy S. Niemi. “This project will allow us to offer them access to newly renovated apartments, available at under-market prices.”
Finally, because Linsley Hall was the only residence hall at FSU with air conditioning, the money will also cover the cost to install AC at Larned Hall so that FSU can continue to house a number of students on campus during the summer months.
“We are extremely grateful to Senate President Karen Spilka, as well as the members of our local state delegation, for supporting this project,” says President Niemi. “It allows us to take a building that was no longer serving the University and convert it into a facility that will benefit not only FSU, but also other educational organizations in our region. It’s a big win for Framingham.”
The building is ideally situated to serve local educators due to its location on a MetroWest RTA bus line, proximity to Route 9 and access to ample parking spaces. The estimated timeline for the project calls for construction to begin in winter 2026, with the goal of having the building occupied by spring 2027.