Retail complex developer makes rezoning request

AUSTINTOWN -- A developer is asking township officials to rezone four lots as part of a proposed $700,000 development of a new retail complex on South Meridian Road near state Route 62.
The lots are currently in use on Meridian between Ferdinand Road and Monaca Road. All are zoned for offices or residences, but would be rezoned to allow retail under the request by Visconsi Companies Ltd. of Pepper Pike.
The Austintown Board of Zoning Appeals will hear the zoning request at its Jan. 27 meeting.
Jeff Deeds, development manager for Visconsi, said Wednesday that his company is planning a development that would include the Belleria Pizza & amp; Italian Restaurant now located about two blocks away on state Route 62 near Tippecanoe Road.
The First Place Bank and a real estate business would remain on the site, but would be moved around as part of the redevelopment to bring in Belleria and "a couple of other businesses."
Deeds said the Belleria and some businesses nearby are being relocated soon as part of an even bigger project. He said he could not disclose details of that development just yet.
But he said the new development with the Belleria that's part of the rezoning request would look very much like The Shoppes at Coal Creek, located just down Route 62 from the current Belleria site.
Deeds said company officials have not yet met with neighbors, "but we definitely plan to do that before the meeting."