Senior service eyes Austintown building

By Elise Franco

efranco@vindy.com

Austintown

Plans are taking shape to bring Celtic Health Care’s no-cost meals program to the township’s Westchester Building.

Township Trustee Lisa Oles said Celtic approached the board about using the township-owned Westchester Building at 100 Westchester Drive, which has been vacant since a medical-billing company went out of business at the beginning of the year.

Oles said Celtic would bring its senior-citizens hot meals and transportation program into the township, which could serve as a jumping-off point for a proposed senior-citizens center.

“I think this is our first step toward opening up our senior-citizens center,” she said. “It’s definitely a big step for us.”

Maureen Pusch of Celtic Health Care said nothing is official yet.

“To move into the Westchester Building is our intention,” she said. “But what’s required on our end is to get the approval of the Area Agency on Aging.”

Pusch said Celtic looked for about a year for a site in Austintown and hopes to secure the Westchester location.

Oles said the approval will mean that Celtic can occupy space in the building through the end of 2010 before it’ll have to apply for new funding. She said Celtic could move in as early as September.

“Come January, if it is successful, and they’re able to secure a grant, we’ll enter into a contract with them,” Oles said. “Basically, we were just excited that this type of program will be offered to our residents.”

Pusch said a contract with the township is contingent upon how much funding the Area Agency on Aging 11 can secure.

“Our goal is to continue long after the end of the year, but it’s always dependent upon the funding,” she said.

Trustee David Ditzler said he hopes this is the first step in bringing other business into the building, which would still have about 20,000 square feet of space available.

“It kind of gets the ball rolling to see what kind of interest can be generated from that standpoint,” he said. “It gives us the opportunity to lure in some other ancillary businesses.”

Oles said though Celtic won’t pay rent in 2010 and will pay a very minimal amount if it remains in the building permanently, the hope is to draw in other senior-related businesses that can help the township recoup funds from the loss of the previous tenant.

Any money brought in from the Westchester Building is used in funding the township’s parks and recreation department.

Both Ditzler and Oles said they’ve spoken with other potential tenants, but both declined to name them.

Celtic already has seven locations where free meals are provided to about 4,500 seniors age 60 and older who live in Mahoning County — 65 of whom already live in Austintown, Oles said.

“Celtic has offered to pick up these residents at their homes and give them the chance to get them out of their homes and interact with other seniors,” Oles said.

Pusch said it’s that interaction that keeps seniors coming back.

“They’re going to socialize,” she said. “If you can have socialization, stimulation and a great meal, really that’s a great day.”