COA purchased three housing complexes in Bar Harbor for student housing, at the intersection of Glen Mary Road and Norris Avenue, and on Bloomfield Avenue. Mount Desert Center and the Salt Market opened.

In 2021, as COA started to slowly adjust back to in-person and hybrid classes, the institution purchased three housing complexes in Bar Harbor. These housing units, on Glen Mary Road, Norris Avenue and Bloomfield Avenue respectively, offer independent living facilities for students in town. This acquisition was followed in 2022 with the opening of the Mount Desert Center in Northeast Harbor. These apartments offer more housing for students and staff/faculty, right above the Salt Market store, which is run by Maude Kusserow ‘15.