Wells College has won court approval to sell and transfer artwork, artifacts and other personal property, advancing the closed college’s effort to dispose of its assets while the future of its Aurora campus remains unresolved.
The order filed Sept. 28 comes after the collapse of a proposed $12.5 million campus sale and months of debate over what should happen to the college’s buildings, historic collections and ties to the village.
Wells closed in 2024. More than two years later, its winding-down process involves separate decisions about real estate, collections and preservation of the institution’s legacy.
The latest ruling clears a legal hurdle for the personal property transactions described in the college’s petition. It does not establish that those sales have been completed or resolve ownership of the campus.
Judge approves personal property transfers
State Supreme Court Justice Darius Lind approved Wells’ petition in Cayuga County after the college reached an agreement with the state education commissioner over the disposition of its property.
The college notified the court of that agreement Aug. 31. Based on it, the State Education Department and Board of Regents had no objection to the proposed disposition, according to the two-page court order.
Lind found the proposed transactions fair and reasonable to the college and noted that no opposition to the requested relief was then before the court. The order authorizes Wells to execute the contracts and other documents needed to carry out the approved transfers.
The proceeding covers tangible personal property, including certain artifacts and works of art. The Citizen reported Monday that the approval clears the way for auctions of artwork, rare books and other possessions.
The ruling itself does not provide auction dates, sale proceeds or a timetable for completing the transfers.
Campus deal fell apart after earlier approval
The larger question of the 127-acre campus remains unsettled in the latest reporting.
In January, Wells accepted a $12.5 million offer from the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge. As FingerLakes1 reported at the time, the institute proposed using roughly 20% of the property for an Indigenous university and redeveloping other portions for housing and revenue-generating uses. Inspections and financing remained conditions before closing.
The proposed transaction received court approval in April, but approval did not produce a completed sale.
In June, Wells’ attorneys said the college had terminated the purchase agreement because Hiawatha had failed to proceed to closing and had not cured that default. Hiawatha challenged the termination in court, according to a Wells Legacy Society account of the legal developments.
The September personal property order addresses a separate proceeding. It neither reinstates the Hiawatha agreement nor approves a replacement campus buyer.
Historic items and zoning remain points of contention
The disposition of Wells’ collections has drawn concern from alumni and local preservation advocates about public access and the loss of historic objects from Aurora.
The Wells Legacy Society reported that the Education Department withdrew its earlier objection to the proposed auctions in August. The group said the department emphasized continued diligence to ensure that legacy and historical items receive adequate care and remain generally accessible to the public. The society also questioned how that expectation would be overseen. Its account preceded the September court approval. Wells Legacy Society
Other historic property remains tied to discussions between Wells and the village.
As FingerLakes1 reported Sept. 14, Wells President Susan Henking linked a planned gift of a stagecoach and omnibus to rezoning the former campus for mixed use. Henking said existing zoning complicated efforts to sell the property.
Mayor Janet Murphy asked the college to move forward with the gift by Dec. 1. Henking said Wells needed to sell the campus before seeking approval to give away assets.
Some parts of Wells’ legacy have already found a new home. Hobart and William Smith Colleges says a 2025 legacy agreement transferred historical records, artifacts, some artwork and endowment assets to the Geneva institution. The agreement includes the Wells Book Arts Center and the Minerva statue, which has been restored. Hobart and William Smith Colleges
For Aurora, the immediate development is permission to proceed with the approved personal property transfers. A completed campus sale and a settled plan for the property’s next use remain separate questions.
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