WARREN — A proposed project that may eventually provide 70 new jobs and revitalize a portion of a west side city neighborhood formerly known as Westlawn was approved for a 10-year, 75% tax abatement by the Trumbull County Commissioners at their meeting Wednesday.

Although commissioners Tony Bernard and Rick Hernandez both said they wished they had more time to consider the proposal, the three commissioners unanimously voted to approve the tax abatement.

Everest Aluminum LLC is looking to purchase about 50 acres of property for the construction of a new aluminum extrusion facility that will be 152,000-square feet. The site was the home of the former Western Reserve High School at 2668 Front St. SW and the former Westlawn housing project. The property is owned by West Warren LLC.

According to the proposed tax abatement, Everest Aluminum LLC is proposing to build a new aluminum extrusion company that is expected to cost between $19.5 million and $33 million in real and personal property.

“Within three years of completion, the company is looking to hire about 70 employees with an average salary of $70,000,” said Nicholas Coggins, assistant director of the Trumbull County Planning Commission.

The new positions are projected to generate more than $5 million in additional annual payroll. The company has not made a final decision on where they want to place the new aluminum extrusion plant and has looked at a number of possible locations in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“We are one of the top two locations being considered,” Coggins said. “They would like to move forward soon. They are trying to get their incentive package together, so, as of right now, this is a proposal; they are looking to see who has the best incentive package.”

Everest Aluminum is owned by Everest USA Corp., which is incorporated in Florida. It is owned by a company in Albania, according to its website.

The company has some European operations, as well as a warehouse in New Jersey and a facility in Phoenix, Arizona. It is looking to expand in the northern portion of the United States.

Coggins said the owners of West Warren LLC have a building on the property that is unoccupied.

“This will be the first building with jobs already attached to it,” Coggins said.

Hernandez said this project is important because the employees likely will live in Trumbull County, eat in area restaurants and shop at area stores, which will boost the county sales tax revenue.

Hernandez said there was no opposition to the project during the commissioners meeting or when company officials appeared before Warren City Council.