Tuesday, February 15, 2011
YOUNGSTOWN
City council will consider legislation Wednesday to provide money to two projects on opposite ends of Federal Street.
Council is being asked by the administration to authorize the board of control to provide funding for the following projects:
Up to $200,000 for the new home of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, the Harry Burt/Ross Radio building at 325 W. Federal St.
The society is raising $6 million to renovate the three-story building. The society purchased the 22,400-square-foot building in 2008 and expects to move in next year.
The building’s been vacant since 2007.
Up to $150,000 to Valley Foods, which is expanding its operations to the former Weatherbee Coat Factory at 439-461 E. Federal St.
Valley Foods sells fresh, frozen foods to customers such as school systems and the military. The company is keeping its location on East Boardman Street and wants to use the former Weatherbee site for food packaging.
The Weatherbee building has been closed for more than 10 years.
Valley Foods purchased the property for $226,000 and plans to make about $350,000 in improvements.
In addition, the city was awarded a $657,396 grant from the state to clean up and then demolish the rear of the building so Valley Foods can expand there.
Also Wednesday, council will consider a request to permit the board of control to give a 10-year, 75-percent real property-tax abatement to Exal Corp.
The city school board approved a resolution at its meeting Tuesday, saying it had no objection to the abatement.
The company wants to build a 10,689-square-foot expansion to its current location at the city-owned Performance Place Business Park on Poland Avenue.
The company has about 300,000 square feet at that site with about 400 employees. The $1.4 million expansion would add about 25 workers.
The abatement will save Exal about $12,500 annually, said city Finance Director David Bozanich.
The company makes aluminum cans and bottles for major companies including Anheuser-Busch and Coca-Cola.