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Commissioners hear positive feedback for Jared Galleria of Jewelry
By Kalea Hall
BOARDMAN
There is a good possibility a nationally known jewelry store will locate in the township.
Mahoning County commissioners heard all positive feedback at their meeting here Friday to vacate Church Street off Market Street for use by Cocca Development Ltd. and Simon Property Group.
The purpose is to build a Jared Galleria of Jewelry — a more than $1 million project — at the location that formerly housed the Family Christian store.
In order to build in that area, Church Street, which is a paper street, needs to be formally vacated.
A paper street is a road or street that appears on maps but does not exist. Such streets generally occur when planners or subdivision developers lay out and dedicate streets that are never built.
The issue will be on the agenda for the commissioners’ meeting next week. Commissioners oversee and approve all requests to vacate county roads.
“[The jewelry store] will be attractive,” said Atty. Bill Myers, counsel for Cocca Development LTD, which owns Fashion Square Plaza, where the intended jewelry store would go.
There is no specific date for when the store would open, said Lynn Davenport, chief financial officer for Cocca Development.
“The township is taking the stand that we are in favor of this project, and we are looking forward to vacating this property so the economic development can proceed,” said Larry Wilson, township road supervisor.
Davenport said Cocca Development has had a relationship with the national jewelry store.
Jared, according to its website, offers five times the jewelry compared with other jewelry stores. Jared’s headquarters are in Akron, and with the company’s parent, Signet Jewelers, they are the largest speciality retail jeweler in the world.
There are 13 locations in Ohio. The nearest to the Youngstown area is in Cuyahoga Falls.