Second Joseph Project? City Plans Land Assessment

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Mitchell Joseph said he will know more in the next 10 days about plans for a second business project near where his company is developing a $20 million manufacturing, bottling, and research and development campus here.

Land close to where Joseph Company International and West Coast Chill is constructing its campus is the subject of one of two pieces of legislation related to development projects that City Council will take up at its meeting Wednesday night.

“There are several pieces of property that we have looked at, and the Joseph Company will continue to buy property in and around where we are at in Youngstown,” Joseph said.

Council members will consider authorizing the city Board of Control to enter into a planning service agreement to assess properties for “expanded commercial development” in the area surrounding the intersection of Route 62 and Route 422/Oak Street (pictured above).

Mayor John McNally and T. Sharon Woodberry, director of the city’s community planning and economic development department, acknowledged the land assessment was related to the Joseph Company’s plans for the East Side.

The city has not yet identified the total acreage it will look at, but will look at both property it owns and privately held land “in order to respond to Mitchell Joseph’s plans for another investment,” Woodberry said.

“This is just taking stock of what’s there and looking at the infrastructure,” she remarked.

“This is something that we’re required to do in case any financial assistance is needed from the city,” McNally said. The properties are mostly vacant land but there might be “a couple old residential structures.”

At an Aug. 31 Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber breakfast, Joseph said an announcement would be coming in 45 days regarding an additional project.

In a phone interview yesterday, he said he would know in 10 days when the second announcement would be made, following a visit beginning today by architects from MS Consultants Inc. to Joseph Company’s Irvine, Calif. facilities.

“There is going to be more than one announcement and they’re going to be several in close proximity to each other,” Joseph said.

Neither McNally nor Woodberry would be more specific about Joseph Company’s plans.

“We’re certainly excited that Mr. Joseph is looking to expand his presence on the lower East Side,” McNally said.

Also before Council to consider Wednesday is authorizing the board of control to enter into necessary agreements for easements, land acquisition and construction to replace the 84-inch interceptor sewer between Hazel Street and South Avenue, part of the riverfront park/amphitheater project.

The sewer replacement project is budgeted at $7.2 million.

Replacement of the sewer line represents the city’s “third serious step” for the project, following the leveling out and grading of the project site and the series of property purchases and related transactions necessary for the project, McNally said.

“Behind the scenes, we’re probably inching close to 100% completion on design work and cost work,” he continued. “We continue to have extremely productive discussions with entities interested in naming rights for the amphitheater and park project.”

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