Would old school serve Warren city’s needs?

WARREN — Many city department heads say the old Turner Middle School on Mahoning Avenue is not the best place for the proposed “one stop shop,” where city residents could go to take care of all their city business.

City officials took a tour of the school Thursday to see if the building is appropriate to house the different departments.

Councilman Alford Novak, D-2nd, has suggested to council the idea of a one stop shop. He said he likes the idea of having at Turner because the city would not have to buy the building, only fix it up. He said the proximity to Packard Park is ideal and it would bring people to that side of town.

“This could be a neighborhood anchor,” he said.

Mark Donnelly, Warren schools business manager, said the building is 85,000 square feet and will be demolished if the city chooses not to use it. He said it’s true the building is essentially free, but there will be a cost to upgrading electric and making sure the building meets current codes.

“You can’t just move into the building the way it is,” he said.

The building was built in 1950 and closed this past academic year.

For more, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com