Ivy Tech regional and state board of trustees and the Wabash school board approved the agreement. Earlier this year, Ivy Tech discussed selling the building for $1. The boiler is original to the building and the $200,000 investment needed didn’t make sense with the enrollment there, Ivy Tech Chancellor Jerrilee K. Mosier told the regional board in February.

The Wabash building, a former elementary school, was constructed in 1952 and was acquired by Ivy Tech Community College from the Wabash City School Corporation in 1995 for use as part of the Ivy Tech Kokomo service area. Ivy Tech will realize savings by not having a facility lease as part of the deal and realizing savings from a reduction in site administration costs, maintenance costs, and utilities.

Ivy Tech will continue to provide classes at the Thorne Street property.

“Ivy Tech Community College is committed to providing access to higher education opportunities to the residents of Wabash County and the surrounding communities,” Mosier said in a news release. “Wabash City Schools has been a leader in the early college design and dual credit offerings in the region. We are confident this partnership will help increase the Ivy Tech mission of providing accessible and affordable higher education in supporting Wabash’s mission of ensuring every student is college- and career-ready.”

Wabash Superintendent Jason Callahan said in the release, “We believe this will help us achieve a clearer path between K-14 and career pathways. We are equally as excited about the opportunity to continue to work with area industry to advance career advancement through adult education opportunities.”

The next steps of the K-14 partnership will be working to hire a shared position after longtime Ivy Tech Wabash Site Director Pam Guthrie retired at the end of March. The schools will work together to prepare fall course offerings and to build career pathways.