Legislators propose $4 million to turn vacant jail into YSU innovation center
A $20 million project to turn the vacant, former misdemeanant jail into an innovation center at Youngstown State University could be getting a boost from state legislators.
A $20 million project to turn the vacant, former misdemeanant jail into an innovation center at Youngstown State University could be getting a boost from state legislators.
In the proposed 2018-2019 capital bill includes a $4 million funding allocation to the Mahoning Valley Innovation and Commercialization Center.
The former jail, located across the street from the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office and county jail, has primarily been used to house a handful of faculty offices and storage for the sheriff's department.
It will be a lab for university students, community college students, career and technical center students and those who are unemployed or underemployed.
According to the university, the center will be a shared resource training center designed to become a hub of workforce development, innovation, and research, particularly focused on advanced manufacturing.
In addition, the center will include all academic disciplines and innovation of all kinds, serving the entrepreneurial future of the Mahoning Valley and preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow.
If approved, it will be the second consecutive biennial budget bill that includes a special allocation for the MVICC. YSU received $3 million for the project in the 2017-18 capital budget.
In October, YSU was awarded $2 million as part of the 2017 Assistance to Coal Mining Communities initiative. YSU has also received $1 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission.
The university says there is an ongoing capital campaign, led by the YSU Foundation, in order to raise the additions $14 million needed to renovate the jail and turn it into the manufacturing lab.
"This is a project that is important for YSU, for our regional manufacturing sector, for our local school districts and for the economic future of the entire Mahoning Valley," President Jim Tressel said. "We thank the leaders of the great state of Ohio for their belief in our collaborative proposal."
Last June, Mahoning County Commissioners sold the former jail to YSU for $525,000.
At that time, commissioners told 21 news that they look forward to helping the university continue to expand into the downtown area and continue to boost Youngstown's economy.
YSU hopes to have programming as soon as this fall and to be fully operational in 2019.
Under the proposed state spending bill YSU would also receive an additional $10.6 million for a variety of campus building projects, including $2.3 million for renovations and expansion of the Physical Therapy program in Cushwa Hall, $1.75 million for structural improvements to Ward Beecher Science Hall, $1.5 million for renovations to the pedestrian bridge over Wick Avenue, $1.1 million for campus roof replacements, $1 million for renovations to Fedor Hall and $684,000 for building envelope renovations.
