Alarm woes force move

The city has wanted a better fire alarm system in the
building for a decade.

WARREN — Mental health services for Warren’s Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic have moved to the former Metropolitan Housing Authority building at 1977 Niles Road because of ongoing fire alarm problems at the VA’s former home in the Riverside Square building.

Tom Dobson, owner of Riverside Square, 1400 Tod Ave. N.W., says millions of dollars worth of renovations made at Riverside Square by the VA will be complete in about a month, and that may allow the VA to return.

But Charles Bonacci, a VA spokesman in the Brecksville administrative office, said he doesn’t know how long the VA clinic will have to stay away from Riverside Square.

He said it is possible the clinic will return there when the “potential safety issues” regarding the fire alarm system are resolved. Riverside Square is the former St. Joseph Hospital.

Ken Nussle, city fire chief, said the fire alarm system in the building is antiquated, so the city gave Riverside Square until September 2006 to replace it. That deadline was not met, Nussle said, adding that he is not aware that a new system is in place.

The city has worked with Riverside Square on the problem for about 10 years, he said.

Lease

To provide the VA with a temporary location, it agreed to a six-month lease on the building on Niles Road with two one-month options, but the VA can escape the lease at any time, said Don Emerson Jr., executive director of Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority.

The VA is paying about $3,400 per month for about 5,500 square feet of space with the option of paying double that amount for 11,000 square feet, said Russ Osmon, general deputy director of TMHA.

The VA is providing only mental health services at the Niles Road location, with primary-care services being provided at the Youngstown office, 2031 Belmont Ave.

The VA’s former phone numbers at Riverside Square also work at the Niles Road location.

Emerson said sinks are being installed in the Niles Road building to allow the VA to move its primary-care services to the Niles Road building eventually.