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Eastern Gateway college could lease space at Choffin
By Denise Dick
youngstowN
Eastern Gateway Community College would pay $15,223 per month to the city school district to lease the fourth floor of Choffin Career and Technical Center.
The school board approved the lease at its regular meeting Tuesday.
Ann Koon, an EGCC spokeswoman, said the college’s trustees are expected to consider the agreement at a meeting July 6.
“We’ve been having conversations for a few months,” said Joseph Meranto, Choffin director. “They have to be out of the Valley Center by the end of December.”
EGCC has been offering classes at the Valley Center, Eastern Gateway’s headquarters at ValleyCare’s Northside Medical Center on Gypsy Lane, since 2009.
“We think it’s a good idea financially — and for our public image — to be involved in higher education,” Meranto said.
This past school year, the fourth floor of Choffin, located at 200 E. Wood St., housed Rayen Early College Middle School. That school, though, is moving into Chaney High School, on the city’s West Side, which will become a visual and performing arts and Science, Technology, Engineering and math school, as part of a district restructuring plan.
Under the agreement approved by the board, EGCC will pay $274,010 for the initial 1.5-year term, payable in monthly installments of $15,223 for the 20,297 square feet.
If the lease were to be renewed after that first term, EGCC would pay $202,970 per year in monthly installments of $16,914 for the first one-year renewal and $223,267 per year for the second year. The monthly installments the second year would be $18,606.
The lease would begin Jan. 1, 2012, and end June 30, 2013.
EGCC will pay for telephone, Internet and satellite television while the school district will provide cleaning, janitorial and window-washing services standard for the building.
The district also will provide standard year-round heating and air conditioning, water and electricity for current lighting and normal business machines.