YOUNGSTOWN Mayor wants city to sell Wick Building

The last time the city tried to sell the building, the top proposal was $50,000.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mayor George M. McKelvey wants the city to get out of the landlord business and sell the Wick Building.
McKelvey said today that he will ask council's buildings and grounds committee for approval to obtain proposals from those interested in buying the Wick Building.
The 78-year-old structure is on the corner of Federal Plaza West and Phelps Street adjacent to the Phar-Mor building.
"Let's see what the building is worth on the open market," McKelvey said. "No contracts, but we should get proposals."
Here are problems: The building, donated to the city in 1994 by the Burdman family, has become a financial drain on the city, said Carmen S. Conglose Jr., deputy director of public works.
"From an operating side, we're not equipped to deal with it," he said.
The 13-story building is no more than 35 percent occupied, McKelvey and Conglose said. The building's tenants include attorneys and the city's economic development agency and police domestic violence unit, Conglose said.
The final straw that persuaded McKelvey to seek the sale of Wick is that one of its two original passenger elevators needs to be replaced. The cost is $233,400. The city's board of control declined to act today on spending the money to replace the elevator.
"I'm a strong believer that the city shouldn't be in the real estate business, and here's a prime reason," McKelvey said.
The building may not even be worth close to the amount of money needed to replace the elevator. The city tried to sell the building when Patrick Ungaro was mayor. The top offer was $50,000, McKelvey said.
What mayor said: "With older buildings come headaches," he said. "The elevator issue is a fairly good indicator that there will be problems with the electrical system, the boiler, the roof, HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning]."
The building would be better managed and maintained by a private interest, McKelvey said.
"I think the city's money can be better spent providing services for the city rather than rebuilding a downtown building," he said.
The city has spent about $100,000 the past three years to improve the building, Conglose said.