City board OKs contract for demolition project

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — The city’s board of control approved a $393,000 contract to have six structures demolished and asphalt removed from a parking lot needed for a $30 million Youngstown State University building and a street extension project.

The board on Thursday hired Pro Quality Land Development, a Campbell company that submitted the lowest of six proposals for the job. The demolition will start in April and take up to three months to finish.

The parcels are located on West Wood and North Phelps streets and Lincoln and West Rayen avenues.

The properties are needed to extend North Hazel Street from Commerce Street to Lincoln Avenue and for YSU to build the Williamson College of Business Administration. The building would be constructed along the proposed extended North Hazel Street near West Rayen Avenue and North Phelps Street.

The estimated $1 million North Hazel Street extension would provide an essential connection to link downtown with YSU, university and city officials say. Hazel currently runs from downtown north to West Wood Street, two blocks from the main part of campus.

There is a hold-up to the plan.

Joseph Grenga, who owns the Grenga Machine & Welding Co. at 128 W. Rayen Ave., refuses to sell his property. The 102-year-old, 10,515-square-foot building is needed for the street extension project.

Demolishing Grenga’s building was a separate proposal to the demolition project. Pro Quality’s price of $21,500 was the lowest from the six companies responding to the city’s proposal to demolish Grenga’s building.

The city took legal action against Grenga last month filing a petition in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to take his property by eminent domain. Judge James C. Evans is presiding over the civil lawsuit.

Grenga has repeatedly stated he has no intention of selling his property.

He rejected a $205,000 offer in July 2007 by the city for his property. Grenga bought the property for $95,800 in October 2001.

The city has deposited $205,000 in escrow with the court.

skolnick@vindy.com