Submitted photo This vacant building at 802 Elm St. could reopen with a convenience store on the ground floor and eight apartments on the upper two floors.

YOUNGSTOWN — A 100-year-old building on Elm Street, vacant for about six years, could reopen with a $1 million upgrade, including a convenience store on the ground floor and renovations to eight apartments on its upper two floors.

The city’s design review committee voted Tuesday to approve the replacement of exterior windows, the building of a 3,746-square-foot parking lot, landscaping work and a Dumpster enclosure.

Architect Richard Yankel said the building’s owner, BJSJ Family LLC of Poland, is also planning numerous interior upgrades including a new heating system, plumbing, sprinkler system, a new stair tower, painting and floor finishes.

“We’re looking to take this back to what it was originally,” Yankel said.

Frank Singh of BJSJ said the company is planning a $1 million improvement project with the eight apartments rented to students at nearby Youngstown State University.

One issue with the building is BJSJ needs approval from the city’s public works department for a planned handicapped-accessible ramp that would be on the public sidewalk.

The committee approved the plan contingent on the owner getting that approval.

If additional exterior work and signs are needed, the committee would need to approve those.

BJSJ purchased the 12,000-square-foot, three-story building on March 7, 2023, for $275,000.

The location used to be the home of the Dorian Books with a “bookstore” sign still hanging above the building’s main ground floor entrance. The property was also a florist shop, with a “florist” sign still up, and has eight apartments — four each on the second and third floors.

The building has been vacant since 2019.

Yankel said work is being done to make improvements to those eight apartments. The convenience store would be on the first floor, Singh said.

A different developer sought a $2 million loan from the city in 2021 to put a food market on the ground floor and reopen the eight apartments upstairs. But the project didn’t happen and the city never loaned the money.

OTHER ACTION

The committee also approved exterior improvements Tuesday to Concept Studio, an event and meeting space at 217 W. Federal St., and recommended the business be eligible for a city facade grant.

Concept Studio plans to replace three windows at the rear of the building and replace damaged exterior lighting at the front and back of the structure.

The cost of the improvements is $10,844 with $5,422 coming from the city’s facade grant program.

City Council in December 2022 approved setting aside $1 million of Youngstown’s $82.7 million in American Rescue Plan funds for the business facade program. It allows eligible companies to receive 50% of the cost, up to $20,000 each, to help pay for the cost of exterior improvements.

In order to get the grants, companies have to obtain permission from the design review committee. Companies must show they are paying at least half of the cost of the work being done.

The facade grants are forgivable loans with a five-year term. Every year a business remains open at their location in the city, 20% of the loan is forgiven until it reaches 100% in five years.

With this project, the committee has authorized 59 businesses to receive grants from the program.

The committee also approved a request for St. John’s Episcopal Church, 323 Wick Ave., to replace its painted metal sign with a 4-foot-by-6-foot digital sign.

The sign will be mounted on a stone base to match the existing stone pillar beside it.