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Port authority accepts donation of Boardman Chemical Bank building
By Ed Runyan
YOUNGSTOWN
The Western Reserve Port Authority has approved the donation from Chemical Bank of its 3-acre bank property at 3900 Market St. in Boardman as part of its economic-development efforts.
Anthony Trevena, port authority econonic development director, said the site, at the intersection of Market Street and Midlothian Boulevard, is “for holding and future re-development” by the port authority.
“This is very generous on Chemical Bank’s part to offer this to us,” said John Moliterno, port authority director. “They realize how important this site is to Boardman Township.”
Trevena said there is no plan yet for how the property will be used.
Chemical Bank wants to move to the former PNC bank location across Market Street from its current site, Trevena said.
Krista Beniston, Boardman director of zoning and development, said Chemical Bank approached the Boardman trustees about two years ago about the property, but the township does not have the “capacity or expertise to do this level of property acquisition” and contacted the port authority about it.
Also at the meeting Wednesday, which was held at the City Centre One building on East Federal Street where the port authority now has offices, the port authority announced changes coming to Winner Aviation.
Winner, which provides aviation maintenance and other services at the Youngstown Warren Regional Airport, has sold some of its operations to Jets FBO Network, which is owned by Michael Hillman and business partner Doug McConnell, operator of an aviation service provider called MRK Aviation at the Lorain County Airport.
Jets FBO Network will take over the operation of the hangars that house private and commercial aircraft and expects to expand that operation with more aircraft and additional buildings, officials said. Hillman also believes there is an opportunity to do more air cargo business in Vienna, he said.
Winner Aviation will continue to operate its aviation maintenance facility, and keep its offices in the airport terminal.