Progress continues on downtown apartments in historic Wells Building

YOUNGSTOWN

Strollo Architects continues to make progress on its $5 million project to improve the 98-year-old Wells Building downtown.

The firm expects to complete the project by Sept. 1.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” said Gregg Strollo, the firm’s owner.

When completed, the firm will relocate to the ground floor of the terra-cotta structure from its current office at 20 Federal Place.

The upper three floors will have 12 apartments.

“I’m just excited about it,” said Jeff Hill of Canfield, a prospective tenant. Hill works downtown at the Postal Mail-Sort on Mahoning Avenue, and is interested in living an urban lifestyle.

“We’re trying to participate in the [downtown] renaissance,” Strollo said.

Built in 1917, the four-story building was last used about 30 years ago as an Armed Forces recruiting facility. With the 23,564-square-foot building at nearly 100 years old, Strollo said the firm was “probably in for some surprises” when renovations started.

Among them includes structural complications the firm could not have been aware of beforehand, he said.

Read more about the renovations in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.