YOUNGSTOWN - Youngstown State University's Board of Trustees has authorized the university to accept title to real estate and personal property previously belonging to Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC) in Steubenville.

This authorizes the university to accept approximately 12.95 acres of real estate from the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, including the former EGCC campus building and adjacent parking lots at 4000 Sunset Boulevard. YSU President Bill Johnson said the building needs some work.

"Over the years, Eastern Gateway Community College had not kept up on some of the important maintenance things that they needed like keeping their electrical systems up to date, keeping their IT systems up to date, managing the asbestos and places where tiles were being worn and things like that so we've got to do some cleanup kinds of work," Johnson said. "We've got equipment that, right now is not in a teachable location so we've got to do some construction modifications to make that happen," he said. 

In addition, the Board also authorized the university to accept a bill of sale from EGCC transferring certain personal property previously used at the Steubenville campus and an affiliated location.

This comes after EGCC announced its plan to dissolve and end formal instruction by the end of October of 2024. The school has ceased all operations at the end of September of 2025.

YSU President Bill Johnson said in a press release that the authorization to accept EGCC's former property reflects YSU's clear intent to meet the needs of the region.

"When EGCC closed its doors, thousands of students and families were left with uncertainty about their educational future. YSU stepped in because this region deserves a reliable partner - one that keeps its promises and delivers results," Johnson said.

Johnson added that accepting this property is another step to building a long-term, full-service educational presence in Steubenville.

"By securing this campus space, we're ensuring that local students continue to have access to strong career-enhancing programs, supportive services and a university that believes in their community. YSU is here to provide continuity, credibility and a pathway forward," Johnson said.

In January, Johnson said they'll be hosting an open house for the community to weigh in on what programs they would like to see at the university.

"We'll be inviting the public in to look at the programs that we plan to offer there, to get feedback from them and to tell them how they can go about beginning to register for classes," he said.

They hope to begin teaching during summer 2026.