MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury College has signed a 10-year lease to occupy the office building located at 700 Exchange St. in Middlebury, between the Post Office Annex and Vermont Sun. The nearly 22,000-square-foot building will provide the college with much needed space for staff and allow for better use of space on campus, college officials said.
The college leased the entire building  from its owner, Middlebury-based Vermont Industrial Parks, which will renovate the structure before any college offices relocate there.
“I’m delighted that this space was available to meet our needs,” said Middlebury College President Ron Liebowitz. “The college has coped with a shortage of office space on campus for a number of years.”
According to Liebowitz, the newly leased building will give the college greater flexibility, providing additional faculty and staff offices on campus, creating new space for student use, and allowing for flexibility when new initiatives or building renovations are under way.
“We are excited to collaborate with Middlebury College on the revitalization of our property at 700 Exchange Street,” said Bill Townsend, general manager of real estate at Vermont Industrial Parks. “While the Exchange Street district continues to evolve, it already supports a great mix of uses — commercial, office and light manufacturing — and the college’s presence reinforces the importance of this area as a substantial center of employment in our region.”
About 90 college staff members will relocate to the Exchange Street Building starting in the late spring or early summer. The college plans to move its entire office of advancement there, as well as some of its library and information services staff and its computer data center.