Developer to buy Phar-Mor building?

A proposal includes a new parking deck with a walkway to Phar-Mor Centre.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
YOUNGSTOWN -- A developer is negotiating to buy the six-story Phar-Mor Centre downtown and add residential units to the businesses inside.
CRE Holding Corp., which is owned by Rokki Rogan and Michael Camacci, also wants to build a parking deck at Wick and Commerce Street to replace one that was torn down there recently.
Details of the proposal are included in a letter sent to city Councilman Artis Gillam, D-1st. The councilman said he would support doing whatever the city can to make the project succeed, including tax abatements.
Daniel Daniluk, an attorney representing CRE, referred questions to Camacci, of Landmark Commercial Real Estate Services in Austintown, who could not be reached this morning.
Building history
The former Strouss' store was remodeled to be the headquarters of Phar-Mor, a discount drugstore chain that closed its stores in July. Only about 20 of its employees remain, wrapping up the company's final affairs.
In 1990, Phar-Mor had 1,500 employees in the building and the nearby Erie Terminal building. Only about 200 were left when Phar-Mor ended operations this summer.
Gillam said CRE wants the building to continue as an office building, but also wants to add some residential units. He said the letter doesn't specify whether this means condominiums or apartments.
The building is owned by Strouss Building Associates, which is owned by Phar-Mor and a subsidiary of Phar-Mor. The final business affairs of the former drugstore operator are being overseen by Judge William Bodoh of U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Youngstown.
Parking deck
The site where the parking deck was located is now a parking lot managed by the city. The proposed replacement deck would be connected to the third floor of the Phar-Mor Centre as the old one was, Gillam said.
Phar-Mor offices took up most of the second floor and all of the third floor of the building recently.
OSI Strategic Receivables, a debt collection company, operates a call center on the fourth floor. The fifth floor is vacant, and the sixth-floor is occupied by Hanahan-Strollo & amp; Associates architects and the Nadler Nadler & amp; Burdman law firm.
The bottom floor is home to Jerry Lee's Jewelry, a newsstand and five restaurants.
shilling@vindy.com