BEVERLY — The new dormitory complex planned by Montserrat College of Art will include four buildings connected by glass-and-steel enclosures, as well as art studios on the first floors with sculptures and paintings by students and faculty.

The $8 million complex, dubbed The Village at Montserrat, will be built directly across Essex Street from the college's main building on Beverly Common. Construction is scheduled to begin in June.

"It will be an absolutely stunning new addition to the community," Montserrat President Helena Sturnick said.

Montserrat has contemplated building the new dormitories since 2005, but the plans were put on hold as enrollment declined and the former college president resigned. Sturnick, who took over last June, said the college has "reversed" the enrollment drop and wants to grow from its current 275 students to between 300 and 325.

"We want very much to take our place as a North Shore art college, so that we belong to the entire North Shore," she said. "We want the communities around us to see Montserrat as their art school."

The new complex will include two four-story buildings, one three-story building and one two-story building and will house 78 students at the corner of Essex and Winter streets. Sturnick said the complex will create a downtown "quad" effect along with the Hardie Building, which is Montserrat's main building, and Beverly Common and the city's library.

"If ever symbolically town and gown came together, this is it," she said.

To clear the way for the new buildings, the college will give away the three dormitory buildings now on the site for free, as long as the buyers agree to pay to have the buildings moved. If nobody takes them, the buildings will be demolished.

Enrollment had dropped from 360 students to fewer than 260 under former President Stan Trecker, who resigned last year. But Sturnick said the college has "completely rebuilt the admission strategy" and is beginning to increase enrollment.

As part of the new strategy, she said, the college hosted an "acceptance weekend" in January when faculty and the admissions staff reviewed prospective students' portfolios on the spot and accepted or rejected them before they went home.

"It was an extremely successful event," Sturnick said. "We had a waiting list."

Sturnick said the college will soon start a capital campaign to raise money for the $8 million complex. She said $2 million has already been raised.

Sturnick said tuition will be going up, but not because of the construction project. Tuition is now $21,000 per year, and the cost for a room is $5,800. The new tuition figure has yet to be determined, she said.

Montserrat owns or leases 17 buildings in the downtown area, including 10 residence halls and four art galleries. About 26 students are living in the two buildings that will be moved or demolished.

Sturnick said she will be showing the new plans to community groups and civic leaders over the next few months. She hopes to begin construction in June and have students move into the new buildings in the fall of 2009.

Ward 2 City Councilor Wes Slate, who represents that area, said he hasn't seen the plans and wants to see how it will affect neighbors.

"But so far I think it sounds like a positive," he said. "The college generally is a positive influence on the area."

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Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or by e-mail at pleighton@salemnews.com.