Youngstown flea market seeks tax break to rebuild

By David Skolnick

Four Seasons plans to spend at least $1.25 million on the new building.

YOUNGSTOWN — The Four Seasons Flea and Farm Market is asking city officials for a tax break to rebuild its main building destroyed in a June fire.

Four Seasons, through its parent company, Barr Holdings LLC, is seeking a 75 percent, 10-year real property tax abatement.

City council will consider an ordinance at its Thursday session allowing the board of control to approve the tax break.

If the abatement is approved, the flea market would pay $28,478 in property taxes over the next decade.

The business would save $85,434 in property taxes during the same time period.

A fire in June destroyed the main building of the business at 3000 McCartney Road (U.S. Route 422) on the city’s East Side.

Since the fire, the market, open Wednesdays and Sundays, has vendors in its parking lot, a situation that’s difficult in the winter weather.

The company plans to spend $1.25 million to $1.8 million on a new building, according to Barr Holdings’ application for the abatement.

Barr Holdings wants to start construction on a 34,000-square-foot building immediately and have it opened for business in April. It could provide space for about 150 vendors.

Before the fire, 180 vendors were indoors and 600 were outdoors at peak times.

skolnick@vindy.com