$4 million renovation of Wells Building planned

Strollo Architects plans to invest about $4 million to rehabilitate the Wells Building in the city’s downtown and turn the four-story structure into office and retail space.

The Ohio Department of Development announced today that the 94-year-old Wells Building, vacant for at least a decade, would receive a $1 million Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit for the project. The tax credit is given to businesses after the work is finished.

Strollo will relocate its office, currently at the city-owned 20 Federal Place building, to Wells. The company will lease office space on the upper three floors of the 23,564-square-foot building, and have retail space on the ground floor. Construction should start this year.

About 40 construction jobs will be created during the restoration project, according to the Ohio Department of Development. About 100 permanent jobs will be there when the project is done, said state Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Canfield, D-33rd.

For the complete story, read Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com