A downtown Youngstown property agency is having preliminary talks about constructing a building

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A downtown property agency is working with developers on proposals to find a use for a large fenced-in hole on West Federal Street that’s been there since 2008.

Talks are still preliminary, but Dave Kosec, project manager for the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp., told the organization’s board during its annual meeting Thursday that “we hope to bring a project to the board in the future.”

The CIC has attempted to find a developer for the hole for several years without success.

The property was the former site of the Armed Forces Building and the State Theatre, both long vacant before being demolished eight years ago.

The location is just west of the Wells Building. The CIC sold that building for $1 to Strollo Architects. Strollo spent $5.3 million to convert that vacant building into its main office and apartments last year.

The CIC had discussed turning the hole into a parking lot, but Kosec said that’s a fall-back option if the agency can’t find someone to construct a building there.

Also, the agency re-elected its officers: G. Richard Pavlock, chairman; James Miller, vice chairman; Richard Schiraldi, treasurer; and Patricia Syak, secretary.