State ponies up money to clean up former YBM site

YOUNGSTOWN — The state Controlling Board agreed today to give $854,935 to the city to clean up and demolish a North Side building material facility closed since 1989.

The city first sought money six years ago for the YBM Corp. site. The controlling board approved the allocation from the state’s Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund. YBM was a ready-mix concrete company on Logan Avenue and Hubbard Road and was previously known as Youngstown Building Material and Fuel Co.

The cleanup includes the removal of asbestos from the site as well as the demolition of nine structures on the property.

The total project will cost about $1.1 million, with the remaining balance coming from the city, which has owned the 9.31-acre property since 2002.

The city wants to turn the property into a site for light industrial use.