City seeks court decision to acquire property

YOUNGSTOWN — City hall has fired the opening salvo in its attempt to seize a small business property by eminent domain and demolish it for a street extension in conjunction with Youngstown State University’s new $34.3 million business school building.

The city filed a petition for appropriation in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to take the Grenga Machine & Welding Co. property at 128 W. Rayen Ave., together with a declaration of its intention to take immediate possession of the site and enter the premises.

The action was filed Friday against Joseph Grenga, who bought the 102-year-old, 10,515-square-foot building for $95,800 in October 2001, and has rejected the city’s offer to buy the property for $205,000.

“We made an offer to Mr. Grenga that we feel is fair,” said Iris Torres-Guglucello, city law director. “Mr. Grenga has not accepted our offer, so we are proceeding with an appropriation action.”

“Their offer is inadequate,” Grenga said. “We’re not interested in selling.”

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