Buying Eastern Nazarene — Without a Plan

Quincy is racing to close a $21 million campus purchase by June 15. Critics say the city doesn't know what it's buying, can't afford what it's borrowing, and has done this before.

A 124-Year Institution Closes

Eastern Nazarene College operated in Quincy's Wollaston neighborhood for 105 years. Its closure in 2025, driven by enrollment collapse and mounting deficits, put 27 acres — fourteen buildings, fourteen residences, an arboretum, and athletic fields — suddenly on the market in one of Greater Boston's tighter real estate environments. Mayor Koch had his eye on the property before the doors closed. By the time they did, the campus was already in play.

Eastern Nazarene College: 105 years in Wollaston

Eastern Nazarene College established its Quincy campus in 1919. For more than a century it anchored the Wollaston neighborhood — a small liberal arts institution affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene, with around 500–900 students at its peak. The campus at 23 E. Elm Ave. comprised **14 academic and administrative buildings**, **14 residential dwellings**, an arboretum, athletic fields, and approximately **27 acres** total. At assessed value, the city's own records put the property at approximately **$58 million** — a significant asset in a neighborhood where land is scarce.

Board votes to close permanently — citing a $4.9M operating deficit

ENC's board of trustees voted to close the college permanently on June 26, 2024, announcing the decision would take effect at the end of the 2024–25 academic year. The stated cause: **"intensifying financial challenges."** The numbers told a stark story: - **FY2023 operating deficit:** $4.9 million - **FY2022 operating deficit:** $1.3 million - Total operating revenues fell **18.7%** in a single year, to $15.5 million - Enrollment had dropped by **more than one-third** between 2017 and 2022, to 535 students — nearly 50% below its 2010 peak The college's board cited overspending on financial aid for athletes and international students as a contributing factor. Teach-out agreements were arranged with three other faith-based institutions for remaining students.

Koch was already watching the campus — proposed senior housing rezoning a year before closure

Even before ENC's board announced the closure, Mayor Koch had signaled interest in the site. In **August 2023**, his administration proposed rezoning the ENC campus for senior housing development — a year before the college voted to close. In that same month, the state briefly used ENC's dormitories as transitional housing for migrants — a move that generated local controversy. The rezoning proposal signaled that Koch viewed the ENC campus as a potential civic asset, not merely a private institution whose fate was someone else's problem.

A private developer had a $31M deal — which then collapsed

Before the city stepped in, there was a private buyer. ENC's transition board announced an agreement in principle in **February 2025** with the Crain Company — led by a 2006 ENC alumnus — at approximately **$31 million**, or roughly $10 million more than the city's eventual offer. That deal **collapsed in December 2025**, the Globe reported on December 22, 2025. The reasons were not fully disclosed. Its failure cleared the field for the city — and effectively removed the benchmark that had established $31 million as the market's apparent valuation of the campus just months earlier.

ENC closes. The campus is empty.

ENC officially closed at the end of the 2024–25 academic year in **May 2025**. The last students departed. The buildings — chapel, gymnasium, library, dormitories, administrative offices — went dark on a 27-acre campus in one of Greater Boston's established residential neighborhoods. With the campus vacant and the private buyer's deal gone, the Koch administration moved toward making an offer.

How the Deal Came Together — and What the City Isn't Showing

Mayor Koch announced the ENC purchase in his February 2026 State of the City address and signed a letter of intent in late April. The $21 million price tag — against a $58 million assessed value — looks like a bargain. But the appraisal supporting that price has been withheld from public view. The council faces a June 15 deadline to vote yes or lose the deal, and other buyers are reportedly waiting.

State of the City: Koch announces the ENC purchase

Mayor Koch used his **February 2026 State of the City address** to announce plans to acquire the Eastern Nazarene campus for the public benefit. The announcement framed the purchase as a generational opportunity: a $58 million asset available for $21 million, in a neighborhood that needed protection. "The goal of protecting the neighborhood and creating opportunities for a vibrant community asset is the right one," Koch said.

Letter of intent signed — $21 million for 27 acres and all buildings

The Koch administration and ENC's transition board signed a letter of intent on **April 29–30, 2026**. Terms: - **Purchase price:** $21 million - **Scope:** 27-acre main campus (14 institutional buildings) plus 14 residential dwellings - **Total appropriation requested from City Council:** $22.5 million ($21M purchase + $1.5M for a 24-month transition) - **Deadline for Council authorization:** June 15, 2026 The transition costs break down as: $960,000 for building operations (24 months), $340,000 for architectural and engineering services, $75,000 for residential renovations, $25,000 for security, and $100,000 in contingencies.

The appraisal exists — but the public can't see it

City officials commissioned an appraisal of the ENC campus from **Cusack & Associates**. The appraisal is on file in the **City Solicitor's office** — but it has not been released to the public. Councilors may review it there; residents cannot. This is a significant transparency gap. An appraisal is the foundational document justifying the $21 million price — it explains how professionals valued the property and what assumptions drive that number. Without it, residents and advocacy groups can't independently evaluate whether $21 million is a good price, whether the gap from the $58 million assessed value is explained by condition, encumbrances, or negotiation, or whether the Crain Company's $31 million offer was closer to true market value. The A Just Quincy newsletter put it plainly: **"The public was not provided the appraisal itself."**

Other buyers are reportedly waiting — the urgency is real

Once the $21 million price became public, City Solicitor **Jim Timmins confirmed** that **"there have been one or two offers" from other potential buyers**. This creates genuine time pressure: if the council doesn't authorize the purchase by **June 15, 2026**, the city loses the deal and ENC's transition board can negotiate with other buyers. Whether that prospect should accelerate a decision — or whether the council should slow down to get adequate cost projections — is precisely the dispute dividing the council.

What Happens to the Buildings No One Has a Plan For

The administration has published 31 planning documents and held a community meeting. There is a real vision for six of the fourteen institutional buildings. But eight buildings have no stated purpose in currently available documents, demolition costs haven't been disclosed, and the senior housing component — the most financially significant piece — has no developer, no RFP, and no guarantee of the unit counts the city is projecting.

Community meeting: 'a few hundred residents' attend

On **March 18, 2026**, the city held a community meeting at Central Middle School. "A few hundred residents" attended to share ideas on how the campus should be used. The city also published a feedback form at quincyma.gov and released an "Eastern Nazarene Context Map." By late May 2026, 31 planning documents were posted ahead of the Finance Committee hearing. This is a real, if compressed, public engagement process — more than is often done for large municipal commitments.

The plan for six buildings — uses with some specificity

The administration has identified stated uses for **6 of the 14 institutional buildings**: | Building | Proposed Use | |---|---| | Nease Library or Bowser Hall | Wollaston Branch Library (relocated) | | Bowser Hall / Gardiner Hall | Afterschool programs, pre-K programs | | Lahue Gymnasium | Recreation Dept. — youth basketball, senior fitness | | Edith Cove Center | Theater, dance, arts performances | | Mann Center | Retained near-term for heating systems | These are concrete civic uses. The library relocation in particular addresses a genuine community need. The recreation and arts uses have constituency support.

The plan for eight buildings — silence

Beyond the six buildings listed above, **eight institutional buildings on the campus have no stated purpose** in available public documents. The administration's 31-document package does not specify which of these will be renovated, which will be demolished, or what either would cost. Demolition alone for large institutional buildings can run $15–50 per square foot or more depending on hazardous materials (asbestos, lead paint). A 124-year-old campus carries meaningful remediation risk. The $340,000 architectural and engineering budget in the transition plan is preliminary scoping money — far short of what full renovation or demolition assessments would cost. A Just Quincy's June 1 newsletter flagged the missing cost disclosures directly. Councilor-at-Large **Ziqiang "Susan" Yuan** proposed requiring a comprehensive two-year capital bonding plan before any major borrowing proceeds.

Senior housing: the most significant component — no developer yet

The city's most financially consequential proposal is **senior housing on a 5-acre parcel** carved from the campus. The administration has outlined three scenarios: - **95 units** — deemed "financially infeasible" by the city's own analysis - **155–215 units** — the preferred medium-density scenario - **400 units** — higher-density option The city projects **annual revenue of $306,000–$571,000** from the senior housing component, depending on scale. But there is no developer. No RFP has been issued. No financing structure has been selected. No Massachusetts Attorney General approval for the sale or development has been obtained. The projected revenue is a planning scenario, not a commitment.

The residential homes: sold to first-time homebuyers at market rates

The 14 existing ENC residential dwellings would be **sold to first-time homebuyers**, with priority given to Quincy residents, current city workers, and families with children in Quincy schools. Four additional residential lots would be created and sold. Mayor Koch described these sales as opportunities for "Quincy kids." This component has strong conceptual appeal. But one resident, **Jacob Levine (33)**, raised a pointed concern at the community meeting: that the proposal might "preserve the campus in amber" — keeping buildings and green space intact at the cost of housing production in a region with a severe affordability crisis. Selling 14 single-family homes, with priority to existing residents, adds minimal net new housing to the city.

Borrowing $22.5M Against Offsets That Aren't Secured

The $22.5 million would be bond-financed — adding to Quincy's existing $1.8 billion in outstanding debt. The administration projects that future asset sales, grants, and fund transfers will substantially offset the cost. The problem: these projections depend on market transactions and grant applications not yet completed, and critics say the numbers don't add up even on optimistic assumptions.

Bond financing: $22.5M added to $1.8B in existing debt

The full $22.5 million ($21M purchase + $1.5M transition) would be financed through **municipal bond borrowing**. This is new debt added to Quincy's existing outstanding obligations of approximately **$1.8 billion** — a figure that already prompted S&P to downgrade the city's bond rating to AA− with a Negative outlook in June 2025. In annual debt service terms: a $22.5 million bond at current municipal borrowing rates would add roughly **$1.3–1.6 million per year** in debt service over a 20-year term — a modest incremental addition compared to the $89.1 million the city already carries, but adding to a total that S&P has already cited as constraining budget flexibility.

The offset plan: $21.6M in projected receipts — most unconfirmed

The administration's financing plan projects that the following revenue streams will substantially offset the borrowing cost: | Source | Projected Amount | Status | |---|---|---| | Sale of 14 ENC residential dwellings | $10.53M | Not yet sold | | Sale of 4 new residential lots | $1.2M | Lots not yet created | | Sale of other municipal land (1565 Hancock St., 42 Dennis Ryan Pkwy., others) | $4.2M | Not yet sold | | Transfer from Drainage Rehabilitation Fund | $2.7M | Pending | | Community Preservation Funds | $1M | Grant, not awarded | | Affordable housing grant | $1M | Grant, not awarded | | Housing Trust Fund | $1M | Not yet appropriated | **Total projected offsets: ~$21.63M** — but virtually every line depends on a future action not yet taken or a market transaction not yet completed. The A Just Quincy newsletter described projected sale prices as "only approximately one-third of the city's incurred costs" and flagged the plan's heavy reliance on assumptions.

DIF commingling: mixing Quincy Center revenue with ENC financing

The administration's presentations reference Quincy Center **District Improvement Financing (DIF)** revenues as part of the broader financial picture — a stream of tax increment revenue from downtown redevelopment that Koch has repeatedly cited as reducing long-term fiscal pressure. The A Just Quincy newsletter flagged this as **"problematic commingling"**: blending revenues from a separate redevelopment fund (intended for Quincy Center infrastructure) with the ENC campus acquisition creates an incomplete picture of where the money is actually coming from and what obligations each fund is supposed to serve. The DIF is also running behind its own projections, according to some analysts — which would affect the city's broader financial picture if cited as collateral for the ENC purchase.

Annual operating revenue from retained assets: $133,000–$571,000

Beyond the one-time asset sales, the city projects ongoing annual revenue from the campus: - **Residential property leases:** ~$133,700/year (for any retained homes before sale) - **Building leases:** ~$133,000/year (to outside tenants in retained buildings) - **Senior housing ground rent:** $306,000–$571,000/year (depending on scale) Total projected annual revenue: roughly **$570,000–$808,000** — against annual debt service on the $22.5M bond of roughly **$1.3–1.6 million**, plus ongoing operating and maintenance costs for a 27-acre campus that the $340,000 architectural budget has only begun to assess. The gap between projected revenue and actual carrying costs has not been publicly modeled in full.

This Isn't the First Time

The ENC purchase doesn't exist in isolation. It follows a string of large financial commitments under Mayor Koch — some visionary, some controversial, several with incomplete public disclosure at the time of the decision. Critics argue the pattern reveals a structural problem: a mayor with a near-perfect council approval rate, a finance department that reportedly declines to do long-range financial planning, and a city that keeps adding to its obligations without fully accounting for what it already owes.

$475 million Pension Obligation Bond — the debt that drives the debt problem

In 2022, Koch issued a **$475 million Pension Obligation Bond** at 2.62% interest, depositing the proceeds into the city's pension fund and betting that investment returns would exceed the borrowing cost. The annual debt service on the POB runs approximately **$37 million starting FY2026** — the single largest driver of Quincy's 51% debt service surge between FY2024 and FY2026. Koch's Chief of Staff described the $475M in pension bonds as **"not bond debt"** — a characterization that the Quincy Quarry and others found difficult to reconcile with standard accounting definitions. The city's Director of Municipal Finance, when asked about forward financial planning, reportedly said: **"He does not do financial planning."** Pension assessments (PERAC) are projected to reach **$30 million per year by FY2028** — meaning the pension liability was not fully resolved by the bond, and the city now carries both the bond payments and continuing contribution obligations.

$26 million in unbudgeted FY2026 obligations — left out of the adopted budget

Mayor Koch's **FY2026 adopted budget** omitted approximately **$26 million** in known, foreseeable obligations: - **$16 million** in PERAC pension fund assessments - **$10 million** in projected union contract raises This was on top of an already large **$36 million year-over-year spending increase (8.6%)**. Combined, the real growth in spending obligations was closer to **15%**. The result: a **6% property tax increase** that analysts projected would translate to **10–12% residential property tax increases** for Quincy homeowners in 2026. The Quincy Quarry catalogued these omissions in detail in July 2025.

$850,000 bronze statues — no public input, no council vote

Mayor Koch commissioned **two 10-foot bronze statues** — St. Michael and St. Florian, patron saints of police and firefighters — for the new police and fire headquarters, at a cost of **$850,000**. The commission was made without public input and without a council vote. A judge ordered the statues into storage while litigation continues. Asked about it publicly, Koch acknowledged: **"Would I do it differently now? Looking at it, yeah…Probably have more discussions about it, sure."** The episode became a flashpoint — not just for the $850,000, but for what it symbolized about process: a significant public expenditure made unilaterally, without the deliberation residents would expect.

79% pay raise proposal — scaled back under pressure, then deferred

In 2024, Koch proposed raising his own salary from approximately $151,000 to **$285,000** — a **79% increase** that would have made him one of the highest-paid mayors in the United States. Under political pressure, just before a council election, he scaled back to a **40% raise ($225,000)**. The raise was deferred but remained technically on the books. Residents mounted a petition drive opposing the raise. The city clerk **rejected more than one-third of signatures**, prompting a lawsuit. Council President Anne Mahoney drew a direct line between the pay raise, the statues, and the broader spending pattern: **"People are basically saying, 'No, this raise is wrong. The statues are wrong. The way we're spending money is wrong.'"** In May 2026, a new council order (No. 2026-029) sought full repeal of the raise.

$25 million state earmark for a hospital parking garage

House Speaker **Ron Mariano** — who represents Quincy — quietly directed **$25 million from Massachusetts' 'millionaire's tax'** toward a hospital parking garage in Quincy. The millionaire's tax (a 4% surtax on incomes above $1 million) was enacted with the stated purpose of funding **education and transportation**. Critics argued the earmark stretched the spirit — and possibly the letter — of that mandate. Whether a hospital parking garage qualifies as a transportation project is a question the Globe reported on in May 2025. The episode reflects a pattern of large financial commitments to Quincy's built environment arriving without the kind of public deliberation proportionate to their scale.

Council approval rate: >99% — the structural problem

A **WBUR analysis** found that Mayor Koch's initiatives were approved by the city council at a rate of **over 99%** in recent years. Political scientist **Jeff Berry** noted this pattern directly in the context of the pay raise: **"Why did he think he could get away with raising his salary by an astronomical sum?"** — suggesting the answer was a track record of virtually unchallenged council approvals. This structural dynamic shapes the ENC debate. When a mayor operates for years without meaningful legislative pushback, the scrutiny mechanism that normally checks large commitments — council demands for cost projections, independent analysis, deliberation time — atrophies. The current council division over ENC (Mahoney demanding projections; DiBona dismissing financial concerns) reflects a council trying to reassert its oversight role, under time pressure, in a city that has made very large financial commitments with limited independent review.

Six Votes Needed by June 15

The Quincy City Council faces a binary choice by June 15, 2026: authorize a $22.5 million bond appropriation for the ENC purchase (requiring six of nine votes), or let the deal expire. The council is divided — not necessarily on whether to buy the campus, but on whether the city has been given enough information to make a responsible decision. That division reflects something larger: a council, and a city, working out how much scrutiny large financial commitments deserve.

Finance Committee meets — two items, one June 15 deadline

On **June 1, 2026**, the Council's Finance Committee convened to review the two items requiring authorization: 1. Authorization to purchase the ENC property 2. Appropriation of $22.5 million in bond financing Both require **a two-thirds vote — 6 of 9 council members**. The letter of intent expires **June 15, 2026**.

Council President Mahoney: 'We have $1.8 billion worth of debt growing vastly'

**Council President Anne Mahoney** has been the most vocal skeptic — not necessarily of the purchase itself, but of the pace and disclosure. Her statement at the Finance Committee: **"We have $1.8 billion worth of debt growing vastly, and if we're going to keep acquiring things and keep doing things and keep dreaming about things, we're going to be in trouble."** Mahoney also called Koch's Dover Amendment warning — that a private buyer might use the property for uses Quincy can't control — **"fear mongering."** She and **Councilor David Jacobs** both referenced past city projects with "pie in the sky" plans that did not materialize.

Councilor DiBona: 'A once-in-a-generation opportunity'

**Councilor Nina DiBona** has been the purchase's most enthusiastic supporter, calling it **"a really once-in-a-generation opportunity"** and dismissing financial concerns: **"As long as we're in the green, we're not going to go in the red."** DiBona was the **sole dissenter in an 8–1 vote** on a motion to request two-year cost projections from the administration before the council voted. Eight councilors supported requesting more information; one did not. That 8–1 vote on a procedural transparency question is notable: it suggests that even among councilors who may ultimately support the purchase, the majority believed the council needed better cost data before committing.

Councilor Yuan: school repairs and seawalls should come first

**Councilor-at-Large Ziqiang "Susan" Yuan** requested comprehensive two-year capital cost projections before any major bond vote, and argued that other pressing needs should be weighed before the ENC purchase. Specifically: **school building repairs** and **seawall protection** in a city with significant coastal exposure. Yuan introduced **Order No. 2026-029** requiring the administration to submit a comprehensive two-year capital bonding plan before major borrowing proceeds. That order reflects a broader demand: if the city is going to add debt, the council should see the full picture of all proposed borrowing — not just a single purchase in isolation.

The Dover Amendment argument: real risk or leverage?

Koch's most consequential argument for urgency is the **Dover Amendment** threat. Under Massachusetts law (G.L. c. 40A, s. 3), local zoning authority over religious and educational uses is limited. If a private nonprofit or religious organization bought the ENC campus, the city might have limited ability to block uses — including behavioral health facilities, recovery housing, or supportive housing — that the neighborhood opposes. The threat is real: Dover Amendment protections do limit zoning control in meaningful ways. But critics — including the A Just Quincy newsletter — note that it does **not** eliminate local control over parking, setbacks, building scale, environmental review, or infrastructure. The city is not facing a binary choice between buying the campus and losing all control. Council President Mahoney's characterization of this argument as "fear mongering" reflects a legitimate debate about how much urgency is warranted — and whether a June 15 deadline gives the council adequate time to exercise independent judgment.

What to watch before June 15

As of June 8, 2026, no final council vote has been reported. Several things residents should watch in the coming week: **Will the administration release the Cusack & Associates appraisal publicly?** The foundational document justifying the $21 million price has not been shared with residents. **Will two-year cost projections be provided?** Eight councilors voted to request them. Whether the administration delivers them before June 15 matters. **What happens to the eight buildings with no stated plan?** Any responsible vote should include at least a framework for how the city will handle the buildings it hasn't planned for. **Will the vote reach six?** Council President Mahoney and Councilor Yuan have expressed reservations. The margin is tight. **What comes after June 15 if the vote fails?** City Solicitor Timmins has confirmed other buyers are interested. A failed vote isn't the end of the story — it's the beginning of a different one.