Council to Consider Funds for ‘Wick Six’ Cleanup

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – City Council will consider at its meeting Wednesday allocating up to $500,000 in wastewater funds for asbestos abatement and demolition of six of the structures on the sites of the former “Wick Six” dealerships.

Last month the city’s Board of Control contracted with MS Consultants Inc., Youngstown, to perform Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments at the sites. The Phase I assessment on the Wick Avenue properties was to be completed Friday.

“This is just legislation so when the time comes we can advertise and enter into a contract for demolition,” said Abigail Beniston, code enforcement and blight remediation superintendent.

An occupant who had been in one of the structures had to vacate it before work could get under way in that building, delaying that part of the assessment, Beniston said. The Phase I assessment includes determining whether there are any underground storage tanks at any of the structures, she said.

There have been ongoing communications with MS regarding the assessments and there is “some question” whether the asbestos can be removed from the structures before demolition. “We have to look,” Beniston said.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.