Township takes lead as center for growth

Many township residents welcome the new businesses.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- When it comes to new commercial development, some developers and business owners say the strips in Boardman and Niles have reached capacity.
Austintown, meanwhile, seems to be emerging as a center of commercial development.
Developers and business owners say they're attracted to the township by the size of its population, lack of chain stores and enthusiasm of its residents for new shops and restaurants.
Mike Camacci, president of Landmark Real Estate on Mahoning Avenue, added that commercial developers look to build in secondary markets like Austintown after the primary markets in an area are filled. The primary markets in the Mahoning Valley are around Southern Park Mall in Boardman and Eastwood Mall in Niles, he said.
Camacci noted that U.S. 224, which runs along Southern Park Mall, appears to be almost completely developed.
Austintown Zoning Inspector Michael Kurilla Jr. said that so far this year, businesses have announced plans to undertake a total of $6 million in construction work in the township. That's nearly twice the total value of all construction in the township in 2002.
Business plans
New businesses moving into the township include Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits, set to open on Mahoning Avenue in September, and Ruby Tuesday, which opens Tuesday on Mahoning Avenue. A hotel and two shopping plazas also are under construction in the township.
A new Drug Emporium also will open before the end of the year in 35,000 square feet of the 65,000-square-foot former Ames store at Kirk and South Raccoon roads. Big Lots will move from South Raccoon Road into the remaining 30,000 square feet of the Ames building.
Chris Ondrula, the general counsel for Sweet Pea Inc., owners of the Popeye's franchise, also noted that many of the primary commercial sites in the Valley have already been developed.
Ondrula said Austintown, however, still has room for growth.
"In our opinion, the growth is out that way," he said.
Stores and restaurants that have opened in the township since the beginning of 2002 include Eat'n Park, Walgreens and Handel's and Bruster's ice cream. A Fairfield Inn also recently opened on state Route 46.
Eat'n Park spokesman Adam Golomb said Austintown was the "logical next step" for his company, which already had restaurants in Boardman and Warren.
Golomb said that since opening in March 2002, the Mahoning Avenue Eat'n Park has served about 640,000 customers.
Warm reception
Both Ray Svetichan, the owner of Bruster's on South Raccoon Road, and Leigh Jaffer, the owner of Handel's on South Raccoon Road, also said township residents have given their new businesses a warm reception.
"I think it's doing better than I expected," Svetichan said. "I'm really pleased."
Svetichan noted that he also is planning to open a small coffee shop next to Bruster's.
Jaffer added that residents have told her that they've been hoping a Handel's will open in Austintown.
"There's been a need for one in Austintown," she said.
Many township residents said they were pleased their community was attracting new commercial businesses.
"It's about time Austintown got on the map," said Beverly Teeters, as she enjoyed ice cream from Handel's. "Austintown just hasn't had a real big growth, other than homes."
The township has led Mahoning County in the number of new houses under construction in each of the past nine years.
Debbie Carson said she hoped the new development would mean that she wouldn't have to drive to Boardman as often to shop or go out to eat.
"Driving to Boardman, I hate driving to Boardman," she said. "Boardman is just too crowded."
Carol Zelonish added, "Everything we do, we head to Boardman because there isn't anything to do here. Austintown seems like it's been passed over."
More choices
Other residents said they were happy that the new businesses would bring new jobs into Austintown. Ruby Tuesday spokeswoman Terina Stewart said her company's new Mahoning Avenue restaurant would have a total of about 100 employees.
Township resident Dominic Ruggerio Sr. said he hoped the new commercial businesses would provide more shopping and eating options for people in the area.
"Just giving people a choice, more of a choice than they have now," he said.
New businesses also could attract residents of other local communities to the township. Youngstown resident Nicole Harding said the opening of Bruster's and Handel's in Austintown offers more options to consumers.
Austintown resident June Delesky said she believed commercial growth would have both benefits and drawbacks for township residents. Delesky said that though she was looking forward to having new restaurants in her community, she was worried about how new businesses would affect traffic.
Township resident Rochelle Leventry was more direct: "It's becoming Boardman. I don't like it. It's too busy."
hill@vindy.com