📰BIDDEFORD | OPINION | UNE has earned better than a stop sign

"Biddeford officials’ decision to freeze all development on the university’s campus is a mistake. UNE is not a problem to be managed.... UNE is not a burden to this city. It is one of our greatest assets. Let’s act like it."

By Alan Casavant and Marty Grohman

Alan Casavant served as mayor of Biddeford from 2011 to 2023. Marty Grohman served as the city’s mayor from 2023 to 2025.

March 22, 2026, Biddeford has blossomed into one of Maine’s most dynamic communities. Once derided for urban decay and fractious politics, the city now boasts a vibrant downtown, in-demand apartments and a positive reputation that draws visitors from across the country. The result is that residents who at one time were embarrassed to say they were from Biddeford now brag about it.

A big part of that transformation is the University of New England. For the last 15 years, the city and the university have grown together, and there is no doubt in our minds that Biddeford’s renaissance and UNE’s growth are deeply linked.

Not long ago, UNE students were hesitant to visit downtown. Today, they’re regulars in our restaurants and shops, supporting our growing food and arts offerings. Strong athletic programs, including football and hockey, bring thousands of fans to town. And Biddeford High School students who once wouldn’t have dreamed of attending UNE now benefit from its programs — including free tuition for families earning under $100,000 a year.

The partnership runs deeper than many people realize. UNE employs hundreds of Biddeford residents. Its students volunteer in our schools and throughout the community. They donate to local nonprofits and serve on boards. Faculty visit local classrooms to inspire the next generation. Its dental and health programs provide affordable care to residents who couldn’t otherwise access it. When beach recovery expertise was needed after a devastating coastal storm, UNE’s marine scientists showed up. Biddeford residents have access to the campus to launch kayaks and visit the dining hall. The list goes on.

UNE is also an economic engine. While many universities face declining student enrollments, UNE is an exception. It is growing and adding programs, including a new business school. Its presence has helped attract investment and signal to the world that Biddeford is a serious, growing city — not just a place with pretty buildings and big dreams.

Additionally, UNE offers one of the top 10 marine science programs in the USA, increasingly important to Maine as our fishery is challenged and lobster landings decline.

That’s why we’re troubled by the City Council’s recent decision to put a freeze on all development on UNE’s campus. We think it’s a mistake — and not just for UNE.

A blanket development freeze is not thoughtful engagement. It’s a stop sign. It doesn’t distinguish between complex projects and routine ones, sending a chilling message well beyond the campus, to anyone looking to invest in Biddeford. And it tells a good-faith partner that Biddeford’s door might not always be open. That’s not the city we’ve worked to build.

We fully support the city’s right — and obligation — to engage UNE on questions of planning and community impact.

Growth creates real pressures, and zoning rules sometimes need updating. Hard conversations need to happen, and UNE should show up for them. President James Herbert has made goodwill with the community a personal priority, and that matters. But productive dialogue doesn’t require a development freeze. It just requires actually having the conversation.

Biddeford’s turnaround didn’t happen because we were suspicious of our biggest institutional partners. It happened because we were open for business, smart about how we grew and willing to build relationships that benefited the whole city. UNE is not a problem to be managed. It’s a partner to be cultivated.

UNE is not a burden to this city. It is one of our greatest assets. Let’s act like it.

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