Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is eyeing the vacant Urbana University campus as a potential location for a new U.S. Coast Guard training facility, with the ambitious hope of transforming the site into a hub for military excellence. FOX19 reports that the former university, shuttered since 2020, in Urbana—approximately 200 miles from Lake Erie—meets a range of defined criteria, including lodging capabilities for 1,200 recruits, extensive dining facilities, and a pool akin to what the Coast Guard stipulates for their training centers.
The defunct campus's appeal is bolstered by its existing infrastructure which features dormitories, a cafeteria, and an indoor swimming pool, its proximity to the U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes Headquarters in Cleveland, and the nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base just a 30-minute drive south, "The former site of Urbana University is already well positioned to support the needs of the Coast Guard’s next training center," DeWine told FOX8 in a statement. His proposition sent to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reflects his ambition to make Ohio the "most military-friendly in our Nation."
According to Eagle Dayton, Ohio is also prepared to offer financial incentives and grants through JobsOhio to ensure the successful conversion of the site into a Coast Guard training haven, additionally, the proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which houses 39,000 personnel, might play into the strategic positioning of the training center, as it aligns with DeWine's mission for Ohio to be a vanguard for military support and development.
While the federal government's deadline for submissions has passed as of December 8, 2025, the Governor's office remains hopeful that the strategic benefits and readiness of the Urbana site will thrust Ohio to the forefront in the selection process for this new Coast Guard training center. The decision, eagerly awaited by state and local communities, has the potential to bring economic revitalization and a surge of activity to a region marked by the dormancy of a once-thriving educational institution.
