WARREN, Ohio - The old St. Joseph's Riverside Hospital is in the process of being demolished.

The old eyesore in Warren has a fairly large property. This means it could soon see a new chapter thanks to some Kent State students who offered their project ideas.

"It's a great learning opportunity," said William Willoughby, Associate Professor for Kent State's College of Architecture and Environmental Design. 

Students studying architecture at Kent State stepped outside the classroom to pitch their ideas and layouts of what to build on the land. They researched the region, consulted with community partners and shared unique insights into the redevelopment of the 15-acre site at BRITE Wednesday evening.

"Working in a community is what architects will be doing. So, how do we rethink, how do exercise repopulate, how do we transform," Willoughby explained. "The students became really good listeners and responders and simultaneously realized they can bring some professional knowledge that can come from around the globe."

12 student pitched their ideas of a potential food hall, grocery store, business incubator, or education center, just to name a few.

"It's nice to have outside, young, fresh thoughts and visions on what tomorrow could hold for this site," said Doug Franklin, Mayor of Warren to 21 News. 

The student's ideas could give inspiration as to what the city should do with the property. The City of Warren is encouraging community involvement in this brainstorming process.

"We were going to try to do some visioning with a professional organization but little did we know we'd get one of the best school's in Ohio for architectural design for this exercise," Franklin added. "They open up new doors we don't even envision in our community."

"We only know what we know and being able to bring on Kent State University to help facilitate this brainstorming and to actually see it to fruition, they'll be a part of that process as well," said Eddie Colbert, Warren's Safety Service Director 

"There's great learning that I can't simulate in the classroom with this project," Willoughby said. "Mayor Franklin has been very generous with his time and attention. City and community members have given meaningful input to the students."

Mayor Franklin added he was impressed at the student's attention to detail and research into the community.

"Buildings are not just beautiful shiny objects, they are responses to a community and to a site," Willoughby added. 

As demolition continues on the former hospital the city has yet to decide what they'll do with the property. 

Mayor Franklin said decisions on the property will start being made in the first quarter of 2023.