Stanford University has decided not to proceed with the purchase of the Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) campus in Belmont.
According to the Stanford Report, the university had been undergoing an agreement first introduced in 2021 with both the City of Belmont and NDNU to finalize plans to explore future academic uses within both the NDNU campus and the Belmont community.
According to Kathy Kleinbaum, the assistant city manager in Belmont, the city had been involved in planning the application review process to oversee the new campus proposal.
“They were proposing not only to take over the existing buildings but to increase the building footprint of what’s already there and change what’s already existing on the campus,” Kleinbaum said.
Together with the city, the university developed a draft environmental impact report in August 2024, which covered proposed plans for future focuses on the geology of the location, the preliminary engineering report, and transportation.
In terms of transportation, Stanford had plans to include a new sustainable system similar to the shuttles used on their main campus to reduce the added traffic on Ralston Avenue.
“Stanford has been an expert at managing traffic congestion for many years, and they were committing to a transportation demand management plan, where they were going to limit the amount of traffic,” Kleinbaum said.
According to Kleinbaum, Stanford’s plans included measuring the amount of traffic on and off campus and setting parameters for how many cars were going in and out.
“We can only hope that whoever ultimately ends up taking over the campus would be as good a partner as Stanford would be from a traffic perspective,” Kleinbaum said.
In Stanford’s official statement, the university mentioned the difficulty of finalizing a plan, especially due to new federal regulations.
“The economic environment for universities has changed intensely over the past month with the new federal administration, especially for research institutions like Stanford and universities that have high endowments like Stanford,” said Belmont City Council Member Gina Latimerlo.
Now, Stanford’s canceled plans open new opportunities for other buyers to purchase NDNU’s campus.
“Although the potential sale will no longer proceed with Stanford, NDNU remains committed to finding a responsible and beneficial buyer for the future use of the campus property that reflects NDNU’s legacy of service to the community,” said Lizbeth Martin, the president of NDNU.
According to Martin, NDNU is committed to staying in San Mateo County after the Belmont campus is sold, with the main priority being the downsizing of its campus.
“The sale of the Belmont campus is mainly due to the need for a smaller campus footprint, as many of the facilities and buildings are no longer used since we discontinued the four-year undergraduate program,” Martin said.
In recent years, NDNU’s student population has significantly declined. A Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) interim report in 2021 reported that the fall enrollment in 2019 fell by 33% since its peak in 2013.
This decrease in student population eventually encouraged NDNU to transition to only offering its graduate program in 2021. Still, the program has slowly grown again, with additions such as its online program.
Still, NDNU is hopeful about a future sale of its campus.
“We don’t expect it to be too long before a new buyer has been selected, as we have had a lot of interest in the property since Stanford made the decision not to exercise their purchase option,” Martin said.
According to Martin, NDNU’s sale of the Belmont campus and downsizing to a smaller one will allow the university to provide more for students and faculty.
“The sale of the Belmont property will provide financial resources to NDNU that will enable the university to modernize its facilities, develop programs for the modern student, and continue to maintain outstanding educational opportunities for its students into the future,” Martin said.
NDNU plans to continue working with potential buyers and the City of Belmont to devise plans to switch ownership of its campus.
“We’ve had great support from our community partners and the City of Belmont through this transitionary period. The mayor and City Council have shown unwavering support for our plans,” Martin said.
“We just really want to make sure that whatever buys there is the right fit for NDNU and Belmont,” Latimerlo said.
All in all, NDNU’s top priority remains to preserve its legacy and support its students and community.
“Our focus remains on supporting our students, faculty, and the broader community as we continue to grow and adapt. It’s important to remember that the Notre Dame de Namur community is not just a physical space; it’s a network of people, values, and traditions that will endure no matter where we are located. We are excited about the future and the opportunities that lie ahead,” Martin said.
