Oakhill Renaissance Place closed by broken waterline

YOUNGSTOWN — The entire Oakhill Renaissance Place government office complex at 345 Oak Hill Ave. is closed today due to a break that occurred Wednesday afternoon in an 8-inch waterline in the former hospital’s sub-basement.

Robert E. Bush Jr., director of the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services, said he learned of the break at 2:30 p.m., and the complex closed between 3 and 3:10 p.m. Wednesday.

Because the water flooded some of the elevator shafts, Bush said Pete Triveri, county facilities director, told people in the building not to use the elevators.

Water and boilers had to be shut off in the entire county-owned complex, and electricity had to be cut off in part of the complex because of the break, Bush said.

County maintenance crews worked throughout the night and are still working to repair the damage.

The building cannot reopen until all water and heat can be restored, Bush said.

As to when the building can reopen, Bush said: “That’s the [county] commissioners’ call.”

Besides JFS, Oakhill houses the county board of elections, auto title department, veterans’ service commission, recycling division and coroner’s office and the city health department, Ursuline Sisters clinic and Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership.

Oakhill is the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center.