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New retail, housing developments planned for Canfield city, township
CANFIELD
The McDonald’s restaurant on U.S. Route 224, which was slated for demolition and rebuilding before it closed in September after a fire, is coming down soon, City Manager Wade Calhoun said.
Its replacement is one of several projects slated for this year in the area.
In September, the city finalized agreements with the township for annexation of the undeveloped Red Gate property at U.S. Route 62 and Leffingwell Road, as well as a Joint Economic Development District for the Millennial Moments development, which is set for 115 acres near South Palmyra Road at U.S. Route 224.
Millennial Moments could include 35,000 square feet of commercial, retail or office space, a country club and more than 200 community or residential living units, according to a designer’s sketch. Groundbreaking for the development could happen as early as spring, Calhoun said.
Elsewhere, owners of a new Ace Hardware store are finalizing a lease agreement to move into the Colonial Square plaza along U.S. Route 224 this year, Calhoun said.
Windsor House at Canfield, a skilled-nursing center along state Route 446, plans to break ground this year on a new independent- and assisted-living community next to the existing center, township Trustee Joe Paloski said.
Both the city and township have begun to develop comprehensive plans that will review land use and development planning.
City officials last summer met with potential area partners on development of a comprehensive plan that would coordinate the goals of the city, township and local schools, among others.
The 12- to 18-month assessment could include studies on the area’s traffic, safety, utilities and future land uses, Calhoun said.
The city’s last Strategic Vision Plan was published in 2004. The update is expected to be ready by 2020, Calhoun said.
“We’re hoping we’re setting up all the appropriate planning and data that will be plugged into the comprehensive plan to give us that ‘road map’ for development over the next 10 years,” Calhoun said.
The city this year is awaiting return of its application to be designated as a Community Reinvestment Area, which will allow the city to offer tax abatements for future development.
The township’s comprehensive land-use plan will review zoning residential and commercial zoning designations, for which trustees sought public input through a series of public meetings in December, Paloski said.
It’s projected to cost about $50,000 and expected to finish this year, he said. The township contracted with CT Consultants of Youngstown for research work, he said.
The city is also preparing seven streets for resurfacing: Deer Trail and Edwards avenues, Moreland, Cardinal, Overbrook and Talsman drives and Southview Road. The estimated cost is $582,710, of which $224,926 is Ohio Public Works Commission funding, Calhoun said.
The township also has $175,753 ready for 2019 paving projects along Blue Heron Drive, Killdeer Drive, Leffingwell Court and half of Sugarbush Drive, which hasn’t been previously paved. The funding includes $61,614 through OPWC.