Study: Green light for campus in Middletown

Data shows area has adequate student base for college branch.

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer Updated 4:00 PM Friday, July 1, 2011

MIDDLETOWN — An adequate base of students exists in Middletown to support the creation of a Cincinnati State branch campus here, an independent market study unveiled Tuesday shows.

Cincinnati State was recommended to “proceed with establishing a campus in downtown Middletown” based on the data collected by Macguire Associates, a Boston-based company which specializes in market research and analysis for higher education institutions.

The study was presented to the college’s board of trustees at Tuesday night’s meeting.

A financial agreement is still being negotiated between the city and the school. Middletown purchased five buildings for $450,000 and has been holding them for a potential campus.

Cincinnati State could project enrolling between 500 and 2,000 students at a Middletown campus based on growth expectations for those seeking some college and post-secondary education, the study said.

In addition, the study stated a regionalization strategy into Butler and Warren counties “makes sense” because of the higher projected population growths in those counties versus Hamilton County, where the college is based.

Although Middletown’s downtown is located seven miles from Interstate 75, Macguire researchers were “confident” the site would be desirable due to its proximity for some students and adequate transit services.

The campus would likely attract young female students who choose not to commute to the main campus, the study said.

The information “validates” what city officials already knew, said Middletown City Manager Judy Gilleland.

“Now we will be entirely focused on making the deal work rather than continuing to answer the question: ‘should the project be in Middletown?’” she said.

School officials just received the report and are still reviewing the information, said Dan Cayse, vice president for strategic initiatives and entrepreneurial development at Cincinnati State.

He called the study “an important and necessary step” for the project.

“I thought (Macguire) did a great job and I think the information was really helpful to our board,” he said.

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