Tuesday, November 26, 2002
The proposal won't include a $1 million city subsidy.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A second proposal to turn the city hall annex into new space for the 7th District Court of Appeals won't look much different from the first.
The financial arrangement, however, will change substantially.
On Monday, the executive board of downtown's redevelopment agency, the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp., approved making the proposal. The board also authorized spending up to $10,000 on engineering services needed to make the proposal.
Foremost, the new, roughly $3.4 million proposal won't include a $1 million city subsidy, said Reid Dulberger. He is executive vice president of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and CIC staff member. Instead, rents will have to cover the costs, he said.
City council already has approved transferring the annex to CIC for $1, assigning a $500,000 Ohio Edison energy grant to the project and vacating a road behind the annex.
The proposed physical renovation won't change much from the first project. There will be options Mahoning County can choose, such as doing less renovation work than the whole building, he said.
Bids sought
In October, the county sought bids from any of the eight counties the court serves. The bid deadline is Dec. 6. The county is seeking about 14,000 square feet of space.
Last year, CIC proposed to the county a renovation of the annex for the court, but the two never agreed on terms. The court now has cramped offices in the county courthouse.
CIC again is making a proposal because the agency is dedicated to keeping the court downtown, Dulberger said.
If a site in another county is selected, it would be the first time the court was located anywhere other than Youngstown.
rgsmith@vindy.com