A study of whether the former College of St. Joseph could be converted to a new use as the CSJ Center for Excellence and Innovation found the project feasible.
Like two other colleges in the southern part of the state, Green Mountain College in Poultney and Southern Vermont College in Bennington, the College of St. Joseph, or CSJ, in Rutland closed its doors after the end of the 2018-19 school year.
But while the other two colleges have been looking for someone to purchase the property, Dr. Jennifer Scott, president of CSJ, the independent college's board of directors and partners like Vermont Works and Vermont Innovation Commons have been looking to find another use for the Rutland site that preserves it in some way as the College of St. Joseph.
The proposed center, if the funding can be found, would provide non-degree education and workforce development, accelerator programs for entrepreneurs and startups, co-working space, office space for startups and others and co-living space.
Another goal would be for the center to serve as home to third party programs and business tenants.
The next phase is expected to be less public than the development of the plans for the center as officials involved in the project work to attract investors.
This story will be updated for the Tuesday edition of the Rutland Herald.
