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New Poland street approved
AUSTINTOWN
The Mahoning County Planning Commission has approved creation of a new street named Poland Way that will lead from U.S. Route 224 into a new $10 million to $12 million assisted living center, known as the Inn at Poland Way.
The center, which will feature 89 residential units, will be on 6.5 acres on the south side of U.S. Route 224, less than one-half mile east of Clingan Road in Poland Township. Of those units, 64 will be assisted living and 25 will be in a dementia-care wing.
Construction is estimated to take just over a year, said Robert Rupeka, chief financial officer of Briarfield Health Care Centers, which will operate the new facility.
“Our goal is to be open late summer or early fall 2016,” Rupeka said, adding that the new facility will have a staff equivalent to 38 full-time employees.
“Briarfield Health Care’s intent is to design and build senior living facilities that meet a need. Studies show that the Inn at Poland Way will do just that,” said Edward Reese, Briarfield’s chief executive officer and a former Mahoning County commissioner.
“The facility will provide full-service amenities in a safe environment,” with residents coming from Poland, Campbell, Struthers, Lowellville and western Pennsylvania, he added.
Poland Way will become a public township road under the township’s winter maintenance.
Atty. Mark Fortunato of Poland, a planning commission member, said he wants the Ohio Department of Transportation to reduce the speed limit on that section of U.S. Route 224 below the current 55 mph.
“It’s just too fast” for local development and traffic conditions, he told his fellow commission members Tuesday.
Briarfield operates two skilled nursing homes, Briarfield Manor and Briarfield at Ashley Circle, both in Austintown; and three assisted-living facilities, the Inn at Christine Valley in Youngstown, the Inn at Ironwood in Canfield, and the Inn at Glenellen in North Lima.
The new facility, which Rupeka said will look similar to the Inn at Ironwood, will be developed and managed by EDM Management Inc., Briarfield’s management company.