During Wednesday’s monthly County Commissioners meeting, officials announced that 15 proposals had been submitted outlining potential futures for the former Youngsville High School building at 227 College Avenue. The update marks a significant step in the county’s ongoing effort to determine how best to redevelop and repurpose the property.

The commissioners had previously opened a month-long window inviting qualified professional firms to submit redevelopment plans for consideration.

Interested parties were asked to provide detailed proposals outlining comprehensive services, including planning, utilization strategies, design concepts and construction oversight.

According to County Commissioners grant writer Josh Cotton, proposals represent a broad spectrum of potential uses and financial approaches. Submissions came from firms based in Erie, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Warren and several other locations. The estimated project costs presented within the proposals varied significantly, ranging from approximately $10,000 to as much as $130,000. Construction costs, however, have yet to be determined and would be assessed at a later stage depending on the selected direction of the property.

Because the submission deadline closed just two hours prior to the start of the meeting, commissioners acknowledged that the review process is still in its early stages and there remains a substantial amount of information to process and carefully evaluate before any decisions are made.

The district is leasing the building for $1. The county would be able to have discretion to determine which programs would be operated at the school with the only condition being the county can’t operate a school or similar education program for school-age children. The school district will pay utilities and trash removal for the first year of the lease, except for phone and internet. After the first year, the county is responsible for maintenance costs, repair costs and cleaning costs. The county will also be responsible for all costs associated with improvements and alterations to the building.

Part of the agreement is for the county to grant a non-exclusive license for the use of the building’s locker rooms and related areas used for athletic or extracurricular activities.