State Gives $1.3M Boost to East Liverpool Renovations

EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio – With peeling paint and boarded up windows, the historic J.C. Thompson Building on Devon’s Diamond in East Liverpool definitely has seen better days.

Thanks to a $1.3 million piece of the financing puzzle brought to the city Wednesday by Gov. Mike DeWine and the JobsOhio Vibrant Communities Grant program, the renovation of the iconic 1892 structure, as well as an office building on Fifth Street, can begin.

DeWine announced $600,000 in funding, as well as $627,000 in tax credits from the Ohio Department of Development, for the Thompson Building.

“We are excited to help restore the Thompson Building to its original grandeur,” DeWine said, adding the state’s money will be added to what is being provided by local officials and private investments.

“With this project, it will be brought back to prominence, provide jobs and vitality to our downtown,” said Scott Shephard, architect for the Thompson Building project. “The Diamond will have one of its jewels back, better than ever.”

DeWine announced not one investment by the state, but two, bringing an additional $700,000 to help convert the 1930 building housing the Buckeye Online School for Success on Fifth Street into the new corporate home of True North, which is bringing jobs from across the Ohio River.

‘The Perfect Place’

True North, which offers business consulting, franchise bookkeeping, back-office outsourcing and technology solutions, has outgrown its current space. While many of its employees already live in the area, moving the business from Chester, W.Va., to the 31,000-square-feet building that currently houses BOSS will provide modern office space and allow the company to grow from 55 jobs to 80.

“Six months ago, they told me this wasn’t possible,” Chuck Bailey, founder and CEO of True North, said to the crowd of about 100 people who gathered for the announcement made in a closed off block of Fifth Street, just outside the building. “Welcome to our new home. … When we first began searching for a place to call home for our new headquarters, we knew it had to be a city with heart, character and a strong community spirit. East Liverpool checks every box for us. This city, once the pottery capital of the nation, has a rich legacy and a resilient community, making it the perfect place for True North to plant its roots and, more importantly, to grow.”

Bailey said for him, it is not just about the building his growing company will be moving into, but also revitalizing the other buildings downtown and helping the area flourish.

BOSS will stay in its current building for now and then move to the Thompson Building once the renovation is completed. The first floor of the Thompson Building will be used for retail, while the other floors will house BOSS and apartments. Shephard said East Liverpool City Hospital possibly could use some of the space.

Building on the $1.3 million total investment by the state is private investments and public partners. Some of the partners for the two projects include Team NEO, Valley Economic Development Partners and the Columbiana County Land Bank. Additional funding is coming from loans from local banks, ARPA funds, tax credits and façade grant funding, as well as private funding from Craig Cozza, owner of the historic Potters Bank and Trust building, which was renovated to create The Vault restaurant and bar. The Thompson Building was recently sold to Cozza by the Community Improvement Corporation for $1.

Big Goals and Excitement

Other projects in East Liverpool are ongoing or on the horizon. Recently, Chef Ray’s Diamond Bar and Grill opened, and the owner now owns Sixth Street Cafeteria and Deli. A new developer-owner was mentioned several times for the Little Building.

Mayor Robert Smith called the announcement Wednesday one of the biggest things to happen to East Liverpool in 50 years. He touted the perception of change, which he said started two administrations ago, taking hold and bringing people back to downtown. His goal is to keep it going.

“People see businesses like this coming in, and it starts opening up eyes of everybody else,” Smith said.

DeWine walked over to the Thompson Building with Cozza and Shephard after making the announcement. Both Cozza and Shephard grew up in the area. Both left for several years and have now returned, bringing with them big goals and excitement.

The Thompson building is dilapidated and covered by some scaffolding in front, but the character of the building, including an interesting corner feature, still make it appealing. Shephard said though some may suggest it would be easier to just tear down a building in such poor condition, he believes downtown East Liverpool is fortunate to have so many buildings with history and character.

“We know this building is special,” Shephard said. “The Thompson family has a lengthy history of contribution to East Liverpool. In 1893, Mr. John C. Thompson built a landmark building to encourage development along Market and Sixth streets as he wanted the business district to expand.”

Shephard said he hopes the renovation of the Thompson Building will have a similar effect, and he believes the current movement to rejuvenate downtown is growing.

Shephard talked about the history of tenants, including Crosser and the Ogilvie store, names synonymous with Ohio Valley history. It was once part of the Diamond, a gathering place and hub of business activity in East Liverpool. It has been photographed for postcards of the city and filmed for a PBS documentary.

“The projects we are spotlighting today are a perfect illustration of what the vibrant community grants really were designed to do,” DeWine said, adding these types of projects “serve as a catalyst” for future projects.

JP Nauseef, president and CEO of JobsOhio, noted there are 25 other projects through the program and another 20 in the pipeline.

“We’re seeing things like this across the state, where older communities want their downtown to come back,” DeWine said. “And the way they come back is to have people who work here, people who will then want to shop here and go to restaurants here. … It’s a beautiful place with some wonderful old buildings, but some of these buildings need to be rehabbed. They need to be fixed up, and that’s what we’re doing.”

DeWine said he and his wife, Fran, both grew up in a small village and know that while big cities have big opportunities, many love their lives in small towns. He said he often hears from parents and grandparents who want their children and grandchildren living close by, but there has to be jobs and opportunities for them to do so. Rehabilitating old buildings helps provide places for businesses like True North to thrive, and DeWine said Ohio was built by small businesses.

“I think there is also something special about East Liverpool,” DeWine said. “This is an older community. It’s had a great past. What we’re saying today is it also has a great future.”  

Pictured at top: Gov. Mike DeWine addresses the crowd in downtown East Liverpool on Wednesday. Sitting behind him are, from left, former Mayor Greg Bricker, architect Scott Shephard and state Rep. Monica Robb-Blasdel.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.