City seeks to buy closed supermarket

YOUNGSTOWN — The city is negotiating a contract with a health care provider to purchase the former Bottom Dollar supermarket on the South Side.

The talks with ONE Health Ohio - which provides medical, dental and behavioral health services with a focus on lower-income people – are progressing well with the expectation of a deal being made, officials with the organization and city said tonight.

“We absolutely believe this is a strong project and that it will go forward,” said T. Sharon Woodberry, the city’s director of community planning and economic development. “We should have a deal by the end of the summer.”

“We’ve made a proposal and we’re interested in that property,” said Dr. Ronald Dwinnells, ONE Health Ohio’s chief executive officer. “We have the funds to purchase it. We’re ready at any time to purchase it.”

While he declined to discuss the price to buy the Glenwood Avenue building – and the city is having an appraisal done in June – Dwinnells said his organization would spend about $1.5 million to make the facility operational after a purchase.

It will take nine to 12 months after a deal is finalized for the facility to open, he said.

For the complete story, read Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com