New life could soon be coming to the dormant Steubenville campus of Eastern Gateway Community College. Youngstown State University has reached a tentative agreement to establish a satellite campus on a portion of the community college's main campus, almost a year after Eastern Gateway closed.
Jefferson County Commissioners Tony Morelli said Monday the county, the Eastern Gateway Community College Governing Board and Youngstown State University had reached a tentative deal.
"I feel positive," Morelli said. "I think Youngstown State, I've said it before, is a great asset to the situation that we're in: to have an empty building and end up with a four-year state university, that's good, instead of a big empty building."
The commissioners had sued to try to revert control of the property from the college's governing body to the county. This deal would avoid that litigation, set to move forward in early September. However, the agreement still must be approved by all parties.
The governing body for Eastern Gateway Community College and Youngstown State University didn't immediately respond to a request for comment sent Monday afternoon.
Morelli said the commissioners will keep part of the property to use for economic development.
Eastern Gateway closed last year after its federal funding was halted amid allegations of mismanagement, and a raid by state investigators. The Eastern Gateway Community College Governing Board, made up of officials appointed by the state, has since sold off the college's buildings in Youngstown.
