Disappointing, But It's Better to Walk Away Now

Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont (Mejia/Chron)

Six months ago we reacted enthusiastically to the prospect of Stanford University expanding into Belmont. Now that project has been cancelled.

After nearly four years of deliberation, Stanford University has decided not to move forward with its plan to purchase the Notre Dame de Namur University campus in Belmont.

In a statement released Tuesday, the university cited several unforeseen factors that influenced its decision, particularly the changing landscape of higher education and financial challenges.

“As we were engaging with the Belmont community and City leaders, we were also exploring possible academic uses for a Stanford Belmont campus,” said Stanford officials. “This process has clarified that identifying and establishing those uses for a potential Belmont campus will take significantly longer than we initially planned.”

Stanford entered into an option purchase agreement in 2021 to acquire the historic 46-acre Catholic university property with plans to create a satellite campus for 2,500 students, faculty and staff.

The proposed site, roughly 13 miles from its main campus in Palo Alto, would have been called Stanford Belmont and was positioned as a short 20-minute drive up Highway 101...The proposed layout included pedestrian paths, bicycle lanes and green spaces aimed at creating a communal atmosphere...

Local leaders in Belmont had hoped the campus could help revitalize the historic property, which has struggled financially in recent years.

The Italianate Ralston Hall Mansion, built in 1867 as the summer home of banker William Ralston, is a state and national landmark that has been closed for years. The building is currently undergoing a renovation project that Notre Dame de Namur University cannot afford to complete.

Belmont Vice Mayor Gina Latimerlo noted in August that the sale would help fund renovations to Ralston Hall and provide community benefits such as improved athletic facilities and infrastructure upgrades.

With Stanford’s plans for the Belmont site now on hold, the future of the property remains uncertain.

The creation of Stanford-Belmont looked like a win-win for both the university and rhe city. The reason for the cancellation--“This process has clarified that identifying and establishing those uses for a potential Belmont campus will take significantly longer than we initially planned”--is typical public relations gobbledy-gook.

These are words that are used because Stanford had to say something about the loss of its deposit and four years of work, but reveal nothing. There's only a slight chance we'll know what really happened, but as someone who makes (small) donations to the University and wants them to use funds wisely, I hope we find out.