Nonprofit honors efforts in V&M expansion

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The cities of Youngstown and Girard, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, have all been recognized by Team Northeast Ohio for economic-development initiatives in 2010.

Team NEO announced this week that the parties involved in landing the 1 million-square-foot V&M Star expansion earned recognition in the business-expansion-and-retention category.

Team NEO is a Cleveland-based nonprofit that tracks economic data for the 16-county “Cleveland Plus” region.

V&M Star is investing $650 million into a new steel mill that will help satisfy demand for small-diameter pipe used in the oil- and gas-drilling business. The project is expected to bring at least 350 jobs to the Mahoning Valley.

Officials arranged $20 million in federal stimulus money to relocate a railway at the site, just south of I-80.

Girard ceded 191 acres to Youngstown in exchange for the tax dollars the project will produce.