As Cincinnati State Middletown prepares to start its second semester next month, the community college is eyeing several other downtown properties for possible future growth.

Cincinnati State President Dr. O’dell Owens plans to talk with Middletown officials soon to make sure some of the city-owned buildings downtown — specifically the First National Bank building across the street from the downtown campus — will be available for future growth plans.

Those future plans include academic programming, online programming and other support services needed for the campus’ growing student body, said Jean Manning, spokeswoman for Cincinnati State Technical & Community College. Downtown Middletown is starting to see some success with the city’s redevelopment efforts and Cincinnati State officials said they don’t want to be caught flat-footed.

“What we don’t want to see happen is that in five years you see all the other buildings downtown occupied and not have the ability to create a campus atmosphere downtown,” Manning said.

While Cincinnati State is planning to expand its downtown campus, the city is looking at expanding parking options.

City Council will consider legislation Tuesday night to pay Cincinnati-based O’Rourke Wrecking nearly $600,000 to raze the Orman building on Tytus Avenue — which is the lowest of eight proposals — in what’s being called phase one of demolition of commercial buildings.

Phase two — which at this point is only an idea — would tear down several city-owned buildings to make way for downtown parking for the Cincinnati State Middletown, according to Doug Adkins, Middletown Community Revitalization Director director.

“Cincinnati State has expressed interest in obtaining the First National Bank Building for future expansion and would like to see additional downtown parking in support of their growth,” he said. “Staff is reviewing the possibility of packaging several downtown demolitions into a second phase.”

However, Adkins said no second grouping of buildings have been determined.

In a staff report that will be presented at Tuesday’s council meeting, Adkins said that between $1 million and $1.5 million would be needed to raise several downtown buildings, which may or may not include the former Sonshine, Montgomery Ward and Studio Theater buildings. The former Sonshine building, like the Orman building, had part of its structure crumble in August due to deterioration.

Cincinnati State opened at the end of August, but contractors had worked feverishly to renovate the former CG&E building at 1 N. Main St. into a college campus since a deal was struck in April. Four floors — the basement and first, third and sixth floors — have been renovated and school developer Higher Education Partners will work to renovate the remaining three floors, said company CEO Michael Perik.

That renovation work will be aided with a $1 million Section 108 loan guarantee by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development, which was announced Monday by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown’s office. The Ohio Senator worked to help secure the loan guarantee, according to a press release.

“We’re going to use this money wisely and finish off everything,” said Perik, who received word Friday the loan was approved.

The federal loan was applied for by the city of Middletown in May on behalf of Higher Education Partners in order to make sure the renovations of the downtown campus at 1 N. Main St. happen. The loan request is 46.5 percent of the total $2.15 million projected cost of phase one of the campus, which is complete.

Perik said he plans to meet with Cincinnati State officials next week to talk about finishing the building’s renovation.

Brown said this money will help create construction jobs, attract other business and boost revenues for the city.

“Everyone benefits from this investment: rehabilitating vacant and abandoned buildings will drive more business downtown, support property values, and increase economic growth,” Brown said.