The State Controlling Board approved a grant toward a project to provide highway access to about 30 acres of land, including the site of the former McGuffey Plaza, on the city’s East Side for potential economic development.

The board approved the $1,278,268 request Monday to provide the funding for 950 linear feet of new roadway beginning at the intersection of U.S. Route 62 and Albert Street and running northeast to North Garland Avenue.

The project’s total cost is about $2.5 million, with Youngstown seeking a $500,000 grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission and using city funding for the remainder of the cost, said DeMaine Kitchen, the city’s community planning and economic development department director.

“The goal is to make the area more attractive for development. There is this great location on the East Side, but you can’t get heavy truck traffic there right now unless you go through the neighborhoods. This will be much more attractive with better access for developers,” Kitchen said.

U.S. Route 62, which connects to Interstate 680 and state Route 711, now ends at Albert Street. The project would extend it so it continues onto North Garland Avenue.

A State Controlling Board document provided by the Ohio Department of Development states: “As a result of the project and state assistance provided, accessibility, traffic flow and overall safety will be improved in the area. No direct job commitments are associated with this project.”

The Western Reserve Port Authority in April 2022 purchased the site of the former McGuffey Plaza, a shopping center that was built in 1954. Also called the McGuffey Mall, it was located near the intersection of McGuffey Road and North Garland Avenue.

It was one of the earliest developments built in 1954 by the Cafaro Co., done in partnership with Boardman developer Edward DeBartolo Sr. It was converted into an indoor center in 1972 and featured a bowling alley, department stores, supermarkets, banks, a bakery and a hardware store.

Businesses started leaving in the late 1990s and by 2007, the plaza was empty and deteriorated. It was demolished in 2014.

Anthony Trevena, WRPA’s executive director, said $1,184,280 has been invested into the site.

That includes $250,000 set aside by Councilman Jimmy Hughes, D-2nd Ward, from his American Rescue Plan allocation; $212,500 from the WRPA for property acquisition; $560,963 from an ODOD grant to clean up the site; and $160,817 for environmental work.

Trevena said: “By creating direct access routes, we are unlocking the McGuffey/Garland site for development while ensuring future traffic increases stay off residential streets.”

Kitchen said he is hopeful the project could start later this year with spring 2027 being the latest it would commence.

“We’ll be able to fund and open up that 30-acre site to be competitive for development,” Kitchen said.

The Eastgate Regional Council of Governments hired a consultant about four years ago to look at the road project and determine if it was feasible.

Jim Kinnick, Eastgate’s executive director, said: “It’s a great opportunity to develop that site to connect it to 62 and the interstate network. It’s a great site that the port authority has control over. Once we get connectivity, we can have that site developed.”