Submitted photo This rendering shows how Eastern Gateway Community College envisions its Youngstown campus will look in the future. School officials are set to purchase the two buildings in which it is currently housed for $13 million.

YOUNGSTOWN — Eastern Gateway Community College is finalizing its plans to purchase and renovate two buildings downtown.

Officials with the Steubenville-based college Wednesday were to sign the closing documents for $13 million in bond financing to buy the buildings — Thomas Humphries Hall, the school’s main campus at 101 E. Federal St., and its health and workforce building at 101 E. Boardman St., which is the former Harshman law office building.

Also Wednesday, the Western Reserve Port Authority agreed to sell the college the former Harshman building for $1.39 million and signed off on an agreement that allows the port authority to continue to renovate the second floor with the college paying $508,500 when the improvements are done later this month.

The deal officially closes June 25, Eastern Gateway’s interim President Michael Geoghegan said. The deal for Thomas Humphries Hall closes June 30.

“That’s when the money comes in, that’s when we’ll be making disbursements,” Geoghegan said. “It may not happen that day, but we are set up to do that.”

The port authority bought the Harshman building in 2017 with plans to rent some of the space to Eastern Gateway and to use some of it for office space for its economic development arm. The college occupied the first floor, but continued to grow and soon needed the second-floor space, too.

Thomas Humphries Hall, which includes a parking deck, would be purchased for about $8.3 million.

Because Eastern Gateway leases the buildings, it cannot access capital dollars for upgrades. Owning the buildings opens that door.

The community college also plans for a new heating and air conditioning system at Humphries Hall and security upgrades at the buildings. Those industrial-type and other improvements should be complete within six months after the real estate deals close. Bids for the work already are being sought.

Also part of what’s been dubbed EGCC 2.0 — a greater vision to recharge the downtown’s east end — are new sidewalks, exterior lighting, outdoor seating and green space at the campus. Some of those improvements will be paid for with leftover proceeds from the bond financing, while others could take some time to accomplish after discussions and getting the OK from community partners such as the city.

It’s about “creating a college campus, a college feel in the downtown region,” said Arthur Daly, vice president of Eastern Gateway Youngstown.

Eastern Gateway arrived in Youngstown about 10 years ago. It bounced around at several locations, including the Jewish Community Center and Mercy Health, Daly said, until it landed at East Federal Street about six years ago.

rselak@tribtoday.com