Lakewood’s often been called a college town without a college.

That’s not the case anymore, as the University of Akron unveiled its Lakewood satellite campus to the community on Thursday.

With nearly 200 people in attendance, the school opened its doors to the public for a special ribbon-cutting ceremony and party on Detroit Avenue.

The new University of Akron Lakewood Higher Education Center  —housed in the historic Bailey Building on Detroit Avenue — is partnering with Lakewood High School and Lakewood Hospital to offer training in the university’s College of Education and Nursing.

That's just the beginning. 

Within a couple years, university officials expect "a couple hundred" students to grace the downtown Lakewood campus.

City officials, representatives from LakewoodAlive and the university's project team had been working on the satellite project since 2004 — although most of the movement took place during the past year.

Last spring, UA’s Board of Trustees OK’d the satellite branch and construction crews have been working since to get the 11,000-square-foot facility ready to open.

Some coursework is expected at the school this fall, but classes are set to begin at the school in January.