Mental Health and Recovery Services offices to be in Ohio One Building

YOUNGSTOWN

The permanent home of the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board is the Ohio One Building, which board members said will provide needed additional space and save money.

With a 9-6 vote, the board on Monday approved moving the recently merged county mental health and alcohol and drug addiction services offices to the sixth floor of the Ohio One Building, 25 E. Boardman St.

The Ohio One Building is the same location at which the mental health board has occupied the second floor for many years. The Mahoning County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services office is at 107 S. Champion St.

According to a board analysis, combining of the offices will save about $10,000 annually in rent and parking. Also, the lease for the One Ohio space is $4,078 less that the Mahoning County Children Services building at 222 W. Federal St., the other location given serious consideration by the board.

Both sites have about 4,000 square feet.

The annual leases of the mental health and alcohol and drug addiction services offices are $44,958, plus $7,920 for parking, for a total of $52,878.

The lease and parking costs for the sixth floor are $38,912 and $3,960, respectively, for a total of $42,872. Also, the board will have a one-time expenditure of an estimated $55,418 to make improvements to its new quarters, which is 4,096 square feet.

According to the board, under the Children Services proposal, the annual rent and parking would cost $55,080 if Children Services made the improvements, and $46,900 if the board spent an estimated $160,000 on the improvements.

Also, Richard E. Mills of Ohio One Corp., owner of the Ohio One Building, said that when the renovations are complete and the board moves into its new quarters, the lease for the second floor, which expires in 2016, would be deleted.

Duane Piccirilli, executive director of the mental health and recovery services board, said the board wanted to be good stewards of the tax money and believes renting space at the Ohio One Building accomplished that.