Call center downtown could employ up to 500

YOUNGSTOWN — A Los Angeles-based call center company says it will set up business in the city-owned former Phar-Mor Building downtown and eventually employ about 500.

Mayor Jay Williams said VXI Global Solutions is expected to hire 150 people by Oct. 1, when the center is scheduled to open at 20 Federal Place, and another 50 a month after that, up to about 500.

If business is really good, VXI has an option on a second floor of the building and could nearly double that number of employees in the future, said Williams, who announced the company’s coming at a news conference Wednesday.

“This is a home run for Youngstown,” said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th. “This is a perfect example of stimulus recovery funds that couldn’t be better spent.”

VXI says it will spend $4 million to retrofit the 31,000 square feet of the structure formerly occupied by Infocision Management Corp., another call center operation that relocated to its Boardman and Austintown facilities early this year.

VXI has signed a five-year lease with a five-year renewal option, Williams said.

Read more in Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com