Staff photo/Ed Runyan John Muckridge III, CEO of the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley, stands alongside the agency’s new $5.5 million site. Neuenschwander Excavating hopes to have the work done in a month or two, depending on the weather.

YOUNGSTOWN — Neuenschwander Excavating is moving dirt at the site of the new Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley, a short distance up Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from the present site.

Neuenschwander hopes to have that work done in a month or two, depending on the weather.

It’s the next big step in the $5.5 million expansion and relocation of the mission to a new and larger facility. The North Side project is expected to wrap up in late 2020 or early 2021.

The mission provides food, shelter and counseling to those in need.

“This is something that has been talked about for years, so for it to be happening now is exciting,” said John Muckridge III, Rescue Mission CEO. Construction of the footers and foundation is expected to begin early next year.

Among the benefits of the new facility will be the ability to accommodate more than 185 people, compared to 134 now, Muckridge said, adding that the 185 number would be “in the event of an emergency.”

The new facility will nearly double the size of the present Rescue Mission — from 27,000 square feet to 47,500 square feet. Its location is across MLK Boulevard from the Youngstown City Schools bus parking lot.

The current building has historical value. It was the African-American YMCA when it was built in 1930, Muckridge said. The Rescue Mission moved into the building in 1972. The mission is looking to sell it to someone who will preserve it, he said.

The new facility will be built on the same side of MLK Boulevard as the current site. It is along Oakland and North Worthington avenues.

The building will be on the left side of the current Worthington Avenue. The mission’s parking lot will be on the right.

The mission continues to raise money for the project and hopes to have the last $186,000 in hand within the next month or so. Then the mission will try to raise $1.5 million to furnish the facility.

erunyan@tribtoday.com