After a year-long debate in the community, Circleville Farm was sold at Friday's Board of Trustees meeting to The Lezzer/Haubert Partnership for $2.9 million.

The sale will be made official when Lezzer/Haubert is able to rezone the property to allow for the 400 residential units the company plans to build. This plan also includes an area of open space and a $3.5 million community aquatic center.

Of the five proposals received, Lezzer/Haubert ranked "highest overall" and met the environmental concerns of the university, including a plan for storm water management, said Dan Sieminski, assistant vice president for finance and business.

The decision to sell Circleville is the result of a year-long process of discussion and debate concerning the university's use of the 155-acre tract of farmland located about two miles west of campus in Ferguson Township.

Although present only as observers, more than 100 students, faculty and community members attended Friday's meeting to oppose selling Circleville.

However, the self-declared "Friends of Circleville" left disappointed when only three board members voted against selling the land.

"It was my hope that our trustees would take a long-term view and appreciate the fact that, in the future, that land could serve many of Penn State's needs," said Chris Uhl, a biology professor who has been one of the most vocal opponents of the sale.

At the meeting, Gary Schultz, vice president for finance and business, updated board members on the history of Circleville and the reasons the administration wants to sell the property, including its unfavorable location, the surrounding development and the financial benefits of selling.

He said the administration employed a real estate company to determine the value of the land and found "no short-term or long-term rationale" for keeping Circleville.

However, Trustee Paul Suhey expressed opposition to the sale at the meeting and talked about the possibility of one day expanding Penn State's campus to the west by developing the golf course, which is about a half-mile from Old Main and adjacent to Circleville.

"That property is going to get developed some day, whether we do it or someone else does it," Suhey said. "I want to keep it as an option for future boards."

Suhey voted against the sale.

Trustee Nancy Van Tries Kidd also voiced concerns about selling the property. She said she has received many calls from residents and faculty members who are completely against selling the farmland.

"People in the community are upset about the congestion problems that we have felt in the downtown area," Kidd said.

Kidd received a round of applause from the audience when she expressed a desire to hear the opinions of the people who attended the meeting. However, the administration thanked her for the comments and continued accepting questions from other trustees.

Pat Kephart, a State College resident who also hoped the university would retain the land, said she was not surprised by the decision to sell. However, she said she was surprised to learn that the board had investigated all options before making a decision.

"I thought they did a really thorough job and did not rush into anything," Kephart said. "I was really glad with that."