Hobby Lobby owners donating Northfield campus to Christian foundation

NORTHFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - A former campus of the Northfield Mount Hermon School will belong to a Christian grant-making organization, after the property’s owners gave it away for free.

The National Christian Foundation (NCF) announced Wednesday that they would be the recipients of the historic campus, located off Route 63 near the center of town.

The prep school’s former Northfield campus was purchased by the Green family, the owners of Oklahoma-based arts and crafts store chain Hobby Lobby, back in 2009. Devout Christians, the Greens had attempted to turn the campus into a Christian college, and had decided in mid-2012 to give it to Grand Canyon University ; a private Christian college based in Arizona. Their plans would have brought an estimated 5,000 students to the campus.

Though they were to get the property for free, Grand Canyon University backed out months later , amid concerns about the cost of repairs to the campus, which dates back to the 19th Century. The decision forced the Greens to look again for new owners, before deciding to make the "irrevocable donation" to the NCF.

Though NCF will be taking over ownership, they do not intend to keep it forever. Steve Chapman of the NCF told 22News that they intend to look for a permanent owner for the campus, and the intent is for it to be used as an educational institution.

In a news release sent to 22News, the foundation said that they hope to find an owner that will “honor the legacy of D.L. Moody;” the Christian evangelist who originally founded the Northfield school.

The historic campus had been used by Northfield Mount Hermon until 2004, when they decided to consolidate operations into their Mount Hermon Campus, which is located primarily in the neighboring town of Gill.