YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Land Bank and Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. are working together to sell a newly renovated West Side commercial building that had sat vacant for more than a decade.

The recent listing of the 2,240-square-foot structure at 984 Bears Den Road for sale marks another big step in the partnership of the two agencies to restore and revive vacant, abandoned properties, officials said.

The land bank specializes in acquiring vacant, abandoned properties and repurposing them, and YNDC’s services include renovating properties and marketing them to qualified buyers. This marks the partners’ first commercial revitalization venture.

“The process is much like our work with residential properties — we’re taking a non-marketable and abandoned property, finding out what we need to do to bring it back to life and restoring it as a marketable property with a clean title,” Debora Flora, land bank executive director, said. “But in this case, we’re helping to bring employment, too.”

The land bank acquired the building after it was foreclosed on for non-payment of real estate taxes. It formerly housed a company that made aluminum products for the construction industry, as well as an automotive repair shop.

YNDC acquired the building earlier this year from the land bank and recently completed renovations — including the installation of a new roof, two new furnaces and a staircase leading to an upper storage loft. It also restored utilities, overhead doors, electrical work and more.

The building features two small offices, a restroom, a heated garage with four overhead doors and a fenced backyard.

“This project reflects the power of the land bank and its ability to acquire vacant properties, clean the titles and serve as a vehicle for YNDC to be able to revitalize and bring revitalization,” Ian Beniston, YNDC executive director, said. “We look forward to continuing to bring jobs to this area.”

The property is listed at $89,000. For more information, visit http://yndc.org/ programs/green-homes/984-bears-den.

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