U.S. REP. Bill Johnson, who will resign to become Youngstown State University president, purchased a Canfield condominium for $562,000 though he won’t live there.

Johnson and his wife, LeeAnn, took ownership Monday of the 2,874-square-foot condo on Championship Court, according to Mahoning County Auditor records. Johnson, a Republican, had been living for 12 years in a 2,395-square-foot house on Fifth Street in Marietta that was sold Dec. 1 for $410,000.

Johnson will live on the YSU campus at the Pollock House, according to Ben Keeler, his congressional spokesman. Johnson was in the process of purchasing the Canfield condo when he was offered the YSU presidency, Keeler said.

“They’re going to keep it for now for an investment and live on campus,” Keeler said.

With congressional redistricting taking effect with the November 2022 election, the population center of the 6th Congressional District — which Johnson has represented for 13 years — moved to Mahoning, Columbiana and Stark counties. Johnson wanted to move back to Mahoning — where he lived when he was first elected to Congress in 2010 — because of that redistricting change, Keeler said.

Mahoning is the most-populous county in the 11-county congressional district.

As part of his three-year contract with YSU, Johnson gets to live in the Pollock House on Wick Avenue at no cost.

The Pollock family gave the house to YSU when Mary Wick Pollock died in 1949. Originally built by Pollock’s father, Paul Wick, in 1893, the house was used for YSU classrooms and offices. A private developer built an addition to the back and opened the Wick Pollock Inn in 1986. It closed 12 years later.

It remained vacant until 2012 when a $4.47 million improvement project was done there and has since served as the official home of the university’s president.

Johnson is to start as YSU president no later than March 15. YSU trustees are looking to get Johnson to start the job earlier.

Johnson plans to resign as congressman in February or early March.

Some faculty, staff, students, alumni and major donors have been vocally opposed to the hiring of Johnson because of his conservative record and because he has no higher education experience.

Johnson has said he should be given the opportunity to prove himself as president before being dismissed by critics.

Johnson was hired by the board Nov. 21 by an 8-1 vote with Molly Seals casting the lone “no” vote. The trustees had called a Nov. 16 emergency meeting to offer the job to Johnson.