WARREN — Healthy Hearts and Paws has found a new home in Warren, with plans to open next March.

President Jason Cooke said the Brookfield-based organization has been looking for a new location for several months. He was in contact with the Trumbull County Land Bank and through it found a 7.5-acre property at 909 Martin Luther King Boulevard near Risher Road.

“We were desperately trying to find a new location. It has been quite a transformation. We are now moving full steam ahead,” he said of the property acquired in October.

The site had to have brush, trees and debris removed.

The organization, which started in April 2019, has been at a 40-acre site off Collar Price Road in Brookfield, leasing the site from a board member. The new location was purchased.

“Continuing to lease the property was no longer an option and the purchase price (in Brookfield) was too high,” Cooke said.

Cooke said construction in Warren of the main building and shelter where the dogs will be housed is set to begin in December.

There also will be outdoor dog play areas and run areas. The staff offices will be in the main building and a smaller facility nearby will house cats. There is also a parking lot and driveway entrance and fencing around the site.

“We have invested $100,000 in this property and building, which is through fundraising and donations,” he said. Cooke said there will be additional costs for plumbing and electrical.

“I could not believe when this was available. It is perfect for our needs. This is very secluded and what we were looking for. This will be a good investment in the community. We get a lot of calls for dogs from Warren city and my response time will drop dramatically,” he said.

He said Lehman Builders is contracted to do the building, pending the winter weather.

Cooke said he looks forward to partnering with Warren City Schools, just as it did with Brookfield, Liberty and Howland schools, to get students there to help walk dogs.

The organization works to get dogs heartworm tested and treated.

Erik Jennings, planning coordinator of the Warren planning and zoning department, said from a zoning perspective “this is an appropriate location in the city since it is rural here.”

He said a conditional-use zoning variance for the property is scheduled to be acted upon by the zoning board on Dec. 1, which is the final zoning step needed.

Jennings said the property is zoned residential-A, but with a conditional use zoning variance allowing the organization to be the only entity to operate there.

“The city is happy to have someone like Jason and this organization come to the city,” he said.

Warren Councilman Ron White said the property is located in the city’s 7th Ward. He said he supports the project moving forward.

White said he likes that property in the ward is being utilized and not near many residential properties.

“This helps them to move forward and make use of this property. I am glad we are able to see this property get utilized. It benefits this neighborhood and the city. It will be good to have the dogs able to get out and play and run around,” he said.

White said he and Cooke and other volunteers helped to remove debris, garbage and other dumping at the location.

He said the road does not get a lot of traffic.

Cooke said the organization serves both Trumbull and Mahoning counties.

“We will get a lot of volunteers from Warren city and Warren Township and Lordstown,” he said.

Cooke said the organization also had looked at a property on Tod Avenue SW in Warren Township and a company did soil samples at the site. He said no suitable location was found within 1,000 feet of the road to accommodate a septic system.

“That was the end of that location,” he said.

Cooke said other locations in Brookfield and Warren were considered but costs and deed restrictions did not allow businesses.

The organization has held various fundraisers including designer purse bingo that raised nearly $35,000, the biggest fundraiser of the year.

There are more than 50 dogs and 10 cats that need homes for anyone who wants to foster or adopt. Cooke said at one time there were as many as 80 dogs.