Staff photo Renovation work continues on the 115-year-old Mahoning National Bank Building downtown. City council this week will consider awarding the building owner a $500,000 grant for the $18.5 million apartment/commercial project.

YOUNGSTOWN — City council will consider four different pieces of legislation Wednesday to address Youngstown’s lead waterline issues.

One item would permit the board of control to apply for a loan of up to $13 million from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Supply Revolving Loan Account for a project to replace the water main line on Glenwood Avenue from Midlothian Boulevard to Almyra Avenue on the South Side and eliminate about 800 lead service lines off the street.

There is no guarantee that the city will receive approval from the state, said Water Commissioner Harry L. Johnson III.

“We’ll go through the application process and see if they approve or deny the request,” he said.

The city is seeking the funding now because of the uncertainty of the state program, which forgives 50% of the money borrowed, Johnson said.

The state funding for the revolving loan program is supposed to expire at the end of the year though it possibly could return in 2027, he said.

“We have to prepare for the money to not be there,” Johnson said. “We have a responsibility to eliminate all lead water services. If we can do it for half the price, it’s worth it.”

This would be the most expensive lead service line project for the city.

Another ordinance to be considered Wednesday seeks council’s permission to let the board of control advertise for bids and enter into a contract for the Crandall Park water main on Gypsy Lane from Logan to Goleta avenues and the replacement of about 470 lead waterlines on Fifth Avenue, Tod Lane, Belmont Avenue and Gypsy Lane.

The engineer’s estimate for the project is $5,799,516 with the city borrowing the money through the EPA fund that forgives half of the cost.

Council in June voted to authorize the board of control to enter into joint loan agreements for the work with the EPA and the Ohio Water Development Authority. At the time, the project’s estimated cost was $9 million, but was significantly lowered after design work was done.

The project’s cost could be even less after bids are opened, Johnson said.

City council also will consider legislation Wednesday to increase the appropriation to $8,896,799 for the Buckeye Plat water main and lead line replacement project on the city’s southeast side.

The work started in June, but the state changed its reimbursement policy, Johnson said.

Instead of making direct payments to vendors, the state requires local governments to pay the vendors and get reimbursed by the OWDA, Johnson said.

City council needs to authorize the appropriation in order to get the money from the state to pay the construction contractor and the inspection services, Johnson said. This would also fall under the 50% loan forgiveness category, he said.

The project will be finished later this year. It includes replacing the water main and lead lines to more than 720 homes in the neighborhood.

The project is moving waterlines connected to houses in the area, by Midlothian Boulevard and Sheridan Road, from the rear of properties to the front to make it easier to gain access to the lines if they need repairs.

A fourth ordinance would accept a $500,000 grant from the Ohio EPA’s Drinking Water Assistance Fund Program to help with the city’s lead line replacement program.

The water department will use the funding to purchase new copper pipes to replace 229 lead lines throughout the city, Johnson said.

“In the spring, we have a crew dedicated to removing lead pipes and replacing them with copper,” Johnson said.

STREET PROJECT

Council will vote Wednesday on authorizing the board of control to enter into a preliminary participating agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation for a resurfacing project to various streets in the city.

ODOT will handle the project and provide 80% of its cost, which is estimated to be $2,862,000 in total. With the state paying $2,289,600, the city would be responsible for $572,400.

The project, which would start in 2027, would be to U.S. Route 62 between Williamson and South avenues, South Avenue from Williamson Avenue to the U.S. Route 62 on-ramp, state Route 193 (Wirt Street) from Oxford Street to the city’s northern border and state Route 289 (Rayen Avenue) from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Fifth Avenue.

In addition to resurfacing, the work includes handicapped ramps, pavement repairs and pavement markings, said Charles Shasho, the city’s deputy director of public works.

“It’s a good deal for the city to pay 20% to resurface the streets,” Shasho said. “This legislation is the preliminary participation. There will be other legislation for a final construction agreement.”

MAHONING BANK GRANT

The city administration is asking council to approve a $500,000 grant to the owner of the Mahoning National Bank Building, which is undergoing an $18.5 million improvement project.

The city recently approved the financing of energy upgrades through a special assessment to 22 Market Street Ohio LLC of Monroe, N.Y., which is developing the building.

The $500,000 grant was discussed Nov. 17 in a council committee meeting to help the company, which needs financial assistance to finish the project.

The company purchased the building for $2.3 million in December 2022. The plan for the 85,000-square-foot, 115-year-old Mahoning National Bank Building on the city’s Central Square includes 71 apartments on the fifth to 13th floors.

The first floor, which has a scaled-down Huntington Bank branch, will be available for retail space, including a possible restaurant or coffee shop.

The second to fourth floors will be commercial space with professional offices, several of which have been in the building for years such as lawyers, accountants and title agents.