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The Mahoning Valley is seeking $27.8 million from the Ohio Capital Budget
and Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
The Mahoning Valley is seeking $27.8 million from the Ohio Capital Budget, which will be unveiled today by the Republican-controlled state Legislature.
The largest request of $10 million comes from Youngstown State University for an entrepreneurial hub for advanced manufacturing. The Mahoning Valley Innovation and Commercialization Center’s overall cost is $30 million. The center will be about 100,000 square feet.
“It’s a center that will combine the business community at large, Eastern Gateway Community College, YSU and area career and technical centers, giving them access to high-end manufacturing technology” that also could be used for workforce training, said Mike Hripko, YSU’s associate vice president for research.
Besides the request from the state, Hripko said organizers also will seek federal, philanthropic and private dollars.
If the money requested in the state budget is approved, the facility could open in late 2018.
The center will house classes for both YSU and EGCC and the surrounding county career and technical centers and hopefully be useful for entrepreneurs, Hripko said.
Overall, the Valley’s state legislative caucus submitted requests for $27.8 million to go toward $132 million worth of proposed projects in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, said he’s met with Gov. John Kasich and Republican leaders in the General Assembly to discuss the merits of the Valley’s projects.
“They were familiar with our projects,” he said. “They’re very strong projects. Hopefully, we’ll receive our fair share.”
Schiavoni said Monday that he doesn’t know what projects will receive money from the Capital Budget. The budget, enacted in even-numbered years, provides money for the repair, reconstruction and construction of primarily state agencies, colleges and universities, and school districts, with some funds going to community projects, according to the state’s Office of Budget and Management.
The state’s Capital Budget in 2014 was $2.4 billion. The Valley received $17.3 million from that budget with $10.9 million of it going to YSU.
The Valley’s proposals for Capital Budget funding doesn’t include a separate $15.2 million request from YSU for 10 projects, including renovations to Ward Beecher Hall. YSU officials said last week they expect to get $11 million.
Among the other major requests this year:
$3,275,800 for a Great Ohio Lake-to-River greenway. The total project cost is $46.3 million.
$2,843,100 to fully fund the construction of a CNG fueling station in Trumbull County from that county’s engineer’s office.
$1.5 million to make improvements to the DeYor Performing Arts Center in downtown Youngstown. The total cost of the project is $1,983,000.
$1.2 million to fully fund a deployment hub for military units at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna.
$1 million for the expansion of St. Joseph Warren Hospital’s emergency department. The total cost is $6.1 million.
$1 million for Youngs-town’s $6 million proposal to build an amphitheater at the city’s Covelli Centre and develop a riverfront park along Front Street.
$1,322,000 for renovations to Eastwood Field in Niles, a baseball park owned by the Cafaro Co. on its Eastwood Mall property.