Closing schools’ offices would save $390K yearly

Dr. David C. Sweet, YSU president, told The Vindicator the university hasn’t had any internal discussions about the Ward building, nor is its acquisition part of the university’s Centennial Master Plan.

YSU’s focus right now is on building a new $34 million home for its Williamson College of Business Administration, and the recent purchase of the Pilgrim Collegiate Church at the corner of Wick and Lincoln avenues is “a very strategic location” for the university, Sweet said.

Still, the Ward building would be adjacent to the new business college, he noted.

YSU actually once owned the building, housing its Rayen School of Engineering there for a time.

The business committee recently heard a report from John Tricomi of John Tricomi and Associates, an appraisal company, who didn’t provide an estimated value on the structure but suggested the district at least recoup what it has spent on it in recent years. That amounts to about $1 million since 1987, he said, adding that YSU might be the only buyer.

Getting an accurate appraisal on the property will be difficult, Tricomi told the committee, noting that there are no true comparable sales of similar structures to help with that determination. The building is large and old, but well-maintained, he said, noting that it was built around 1900.

Michael Murphy, business committee chairman, said the next course of business is to set up a meeting with YSU officials to determine if there is interest in the property.

DeNiro said the state has put a new wrinkle on the sale of old school buildings in recent years.

Youngstown would first have to offer the property to any charter schools that might be interested in locating there, he said.

The building was a school — The Rayen School — at one time and is suitable for classroom space, he said.

If no charter school wants it, the district would be required to sell it through public auction, he added, although YSU, as another government entity, might be exempt from that particular sale restriction.

The district also might be able to work out some sort of lease arrangement with YSU, thereby bypassing all sales restrictions, should the university be interested, DeNiro added.

gwin@vindy.com