Trumbull Co. officials seek new digs

No deadline for closing or demolishing the Wean building has been set.

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — Two Trumbull County departments — the planning commission and the building- inspection department — are looking for new office space.

County officials have identified about six buildings in Warren and are publishing a legal notice asking for other possibilities.

“We’re pretty much committed to staying in the city of Warren,” said Bill Miller, director of the planning commission.

Reasons for being in Warren are mostly so the two departments can be near the county commissioners and other county offices, Miller said.

The planning commission handles a variety of issues including planning, lot subdivision, grant writing, economic development and environmental issues. The building-inspection department handles building permits and inspections.

The two departments are housed in the county-owned Wean Building at 347 North Park Avenue, but the problems with the heating and air-conditioning system are making it necessary to find new office space fairly soon, Miller said.

The Wean building is one block north of the Trumbull County Administration Building on High Street Northwest.

Recent repairs have made it possible to remain in the Wean building for at least a couple of months, Miller said, but the boiler won’t last much longer.

The building formerly housed the Trumbull County Educational Service Center (county school board) until it moved to a former department store at state Route 46 and Youngstown Road in Niles in 2006.

Dan Polivka, Trumbull County commissioner, said commissioners are thinking about demolishing or “deconstructing” the building, which would allow valuable parts of the building to be salvaged.

No date or deadline for shuttering the building has been set, Miller said.