Haz-Mat cleanup to cost 500K

There is 'substantial contamination' at one property.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- It will cost about 500,000 to remove asbestos and other hazardous materials from five properties on and around the proposed Youngstown State University College of Business Administration, a city official says.
A 97,608 environmental study of the area to be conducted by MS Consultants of Youngstown will determine the exact cost. But Jeffrey Chagnot, the city's economic development director, said Friday that preliminary estimates put the price at 500,000.
There is "substantial contamination" of asbestos at one of the properties, the former Ideal Store Fixtures building on West Wood Street, Chagnot said.
The city plans to seek a state grant to remove the hazardous materials from the area, he said. The work is expected to be done during the first three months of 2008, he said.
The board of control approved paying MS Consultants to conduct the study. The report will take about 120 days to complete.
YSU plans to break ground on the 30 million college at the end of this year, said city Finance Director David Bozanich. Construction won't occur on property that needs to undergo remediation until that cleanup work is done, Chagnot said.
The college is to be built on West Wood, Phelps and Hazel streets.
Project division
The city is handling property acquisition and contaminant testing in a 38-acre area on and near North Phelps, West Wood, Hazel and Commerce streets, and Fifth and Lincoln avenues. YSU is handling the architectural design and construction work.
As part of this plan, the city is extending Hazel Street to provide a link from downtown to YSU.
The city is negotiating with the Cherol family to buy property on West Wood Street that will be a key part of the YSU project. The deal is expected to be finalized in a few weeks, Chagnot said.
The city also wants to buy the former Alex Downie and Son auto service center on the corner of North Phelps and West Wood streets, Chagnot said.
Also needed for the business school project is Grenga Machine & amp; Welding Co. property on West Rayen Avenue. Joseph Grenga, its owner, has repeatedly said he's not interested in selling. Chagnot said Grenga permitted an appraiser to look at the property and the city sent a letter Friday with a preliminary purchase order.
City council members approved legislation a year ago to advance 2.5 million in city money for this project. The legislation states the city is to pay no more than 500,000 of the cost of the project. Most of the remaining 2 million would come from YSU with the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown paying a nominal fee. The diocese and YSU will be swapping land in the endeavor.
skolnick@vindy.com