VIENNA — The Western Reserve Port Authority board is eyeing the remnants of Eastern Gateway Community College’s downtown Youngstown presence to add to its portfolio.

In a 7-0 vote, the board directed Executive Director Anthony Trevena to negotiate for the purchase of property at 39 S. Champion St. and 101 E. Boardman St. — better known as the shuttered Eastern Gateway parking garage and the former Harshman Building. He is authorized to spend up to $800,000.

The action occurred Wednesday morning at the board’s monthly meeting at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.

Trevena said the authority has been in contact with Eastern Gateway’s conservator Fred Ransier. The community college ended operations in late 2024 and is liquidating its assets.

“We’ve been discussing the future interest of that property,” Trevena told board members.

“They’ve identified the Port Authority as a potential proper entity to utilize that space to put it back into productive use.”

The parking deck is located across from City Center One, where the authority maintains its offices, and the Commerce Building. The authority purchased both structures in December. The Harshman Building, previously owned by the authority, served as Eastern Gateway’s Health and Workforce Building.

Trevena and the authority’s engineer, Randy Partika, said the five-story parking deck with approximately 1,000 parking spaces has outlived its usefulness. However, the first-floor pedestrian area, where the Mocha House operates and Eastern Gateway used to hold classes, is permitted to stay in operation.

“And we do have a letter from the engineer that that pedestrian space is still allowable,” Trevena said. “And be clear that the issue is with the ramps going in and out of the parking garage area.”

If the authority obtains the parking structure, Trevena said it would be demolished. “There is negative value in the parking garage, because it needs about $18 million to repair those decks.”

The authority purchased the Harshman Building in 2017 and completed renovations a year later. “(Today), the Harshman Building has no leases,” Trevena said. “When we sold the building, it had productive leases. We think that this is a very good opportunity for redevelopment, and we think we could really do some great things in the downtown area with that.”