ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — SUNY Erie has a new location for its Southtowns location.
SUNY Erie Board of Trustees voted that the school will lease the property at 50 Cobham Drive in Orchard Park.
The proposed move comes as SUNY Erie, like other local colleges, has experienced decreased enrollment in recent years.
"Our peak enrollment was 2010," said Suny Erie Board Chair Jeffrey Stone. "We're still the most economically viable option for students in Western New York and whatever enrollment problems we have, I think we're going to get past them and and I think this move will actually assist us in becoming a more attractive destination for students."
2 On Your Side asked for enrollment data from a SUNY Erie spokesperson, but they did not provide information by the time we published this story.
The Southwestern Blvd. campus of 11 buildings, if the proposals is approved by the NYS Education Department, will be sold to the highest bidder according to a spokesperson for Erie County.
The SUNY Erie Board of Trustees emphasized that the proposed move of the south campus to a new location is not related to the construction of the new Bills stadium.
"I just want to make sure that everybody understands that that's not the case," Stone said. "They are building a new stadium. That's exciting for everyone in the community, but for us, it was really an analysis of what our current buildings were doing for us or not doing, and why it was important to make sure we had our educational experience right in the southtowns."
It's expected that many area's around the new stadium will get rezoned and redeveloped once it's completed.
"Regardless of what becomes of the buildings on Southwestern or the new stadium or anything else, this is a move that makes sense on its own merits," Stone said.
SUNY Erie President Dr. Adiam Tsega also reiterated that the proposed move makes financial sense for the college.
"Part of it is really to make sure that it's efficient, it is focused on our students, and to make sure that we have a space that's conducive for learning, and to really look at our space in such a way that is fiscally responsible, and also addressing our enrollment and making sure that we are following in that line," Dr. Tsega said.
Officials say the college signed a 10 year lease at the new Cobham Dr. facility.
After the sale of the existing south camps, the Poloncarz's office said the profits from the sale would be used for future infrastructure projects at the college.
The new location will house several classrooms, a science lab, library, computer lab, student services office, food pantry, faculty offices and student lounge.
Classes for the 2024 fall semester will continue to take place at the Southwestern Boulevard location.
The college will begin move into the new location in the summer of 2025, and classes will begin at the Cobham Drive location in fall of 2025.
The move still needs approval of the New York State Education Department.