Northeast State Community College wants to open a campus in Johnson City and the Downtown Centre is among its options.
According to President Dr. Janice Gilliam, Northeast State does not have any more room for classrooms or parking at the school’s main campus in Blountville. Couple that with the fact that one-third of the college’s students come from Washington County, she says it only makes sense to open a campus there.
“Over time, we would look at 2,000 to 3,000 students potentially,” Gilliam said. “Students from that area typically have to drive 30, 40 minutes or more to our main campus, so we’re looking at opening up access to that area.”
Earlier this month, Washington County Mayor Dan Eldridge took Gilliam on a tour of the Downtown Centre. Leaders moved most of county offices out of the building last year when they opened the new courthouse in Jonesborough.
“It’s an ideal location,” Gilliam said. “It has plenty of parking. That’d be something we’re looking for of course, and it would provide an easement for our main campus, because we’re maxed out right now.”
Mayor Eldridge says he hopes to eventually hear back from Northeast State about the possibility of buying the Downtown Centre. And he is not the only one who feels that way.
Johnson City Development Authority Executive Director Suzanne Kuehn says she would love to see a college campus inside the building. At one point, the JCDA wanted to take control of the Downtown Centre.
“As long as it’s occupied with good activity, that’s our main intent,” Kuehn said. “This is an important part, bringing that student base and the faculty here to enjoy our excellent restaurants and all the unique shops we have.”
One of those restaurants is owned by Lorraine Washington.
“I’m ecstatic about (the possibility),” the Taste Budz owner said. “It’s a beautiful place, we have a lot of nice businesses down here, a lot of activity and we really could use more and more foot traffic. Bring it on! I’m ready! We could stand about 200 more customers.”
Although the Downtown Centre is a possibility, Gilliam says Northeast State is nowhere close to making a final decision about the location of the Johnson City campus. Plus, she is looking at other possible sites too.
Gilliam has already taken a look at a piece of land owned by Borla Enterprises near the Washington County and Carter County line.
“The Borla site is very appealing because it would require little renovation off of (Interstate 26) Exit 27,” Gilliam said.
According to Gilliam, an advisory board will likely pick a location in early 2011. Before creating the campus, Northeast State would need the approval of the Tennessee Board of Regents and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
In addition to the main campus, Northeast State already has teaching sites in Kingsport, Elizabethton, and Gray. Gilliam says the Johnson City campus ideally would serve as a feeder school for East Tennessee State University. She says the campus would also offer adult education training and testing and classes for high school students.
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