Architects 'cautiously optimistic' about Sept. completion

By BRANDON KLEIN

bklein@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

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

The firm has received some financial assistance from several entities, according to Vindicator files. Huntington Bank provided some financing for the project, while the city approved $620,000 in grants for water and wastewater improvements, and general expenses of the project, and a 75-percent, 10-year real-property tax abatement that would save the firm $274,763 and paying $94,063 in taxes over the life of the abatement.

Strollo also will receive about $2 million in state and federal tax credits after the project’s completion.

Further, Strollo said the harsh weather wasn’t helpful when construction started last winter.

The cold temperatures put a hold on the exterior cleaning of the building as the firm had to follow the U.S. Department of the Interior’s method for historic buildings. With temperatures warming up, exterior cleaning started about three to four weeks ago, he said.

“People are watching,” said Tom Humphries, president of the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp., which sold the structure to Strollo for $1.

Humphries said he’s been watching the progress of the building from his office over the past few months.

“It’s a really great thing to watch and observe,” he said, adding the building is strategically located near the Youngstown Business Incubator and its Tech Block.

“It’s going to be a great addition to the downtown area,” he said.

Strollo said the demolition of hazardous material, and the improvements with the mechanical and electrical infrastructures are completed, and work will start next on the interior framing.