AUSTINTOWN — Fast-food giant Chick-fil-A has purchased property on Mahoning Avenue for $1.87 million to build what would be its fifth location in the Mahoning Valley.

The popular Atlanta-based restaurant chain bought 3.21 acres at 5627 Mahoning Ave. and a 0.9-acre parcel at 5647 Mahoning Ave. — the area of the former garden center and nursery, Mashorda’s County Gardens — from Raymond A. Mashorda for $1.5 million.

Right next door, Chick-fil-A also bought a 0.9-acre parcel at 5657 Mahoning Ave. for $350,000 from Jeanmarie DeLisio.

The transactions were finalized Friday, according to property transfers with the Mahoning County Auditor’s Office.

Austintown trustees in November approved a zone change for 5657 Mahoning Ave. from agricultural to business for the chain to build there. The former Mashorda property already was zoned business.

Construction is expected to begin sometime in the second half of the year.

Chick-fil-A has other locations in Howland, at the Southern Park Mall and Tiffany Square Plaza in Boardman and at Youngstown State University.

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