EAST PALESTINE, Ohio – The creation of a commerce park is being considered by members of the board of the East Palestine Community Improvement Corp., a nonprofit working toward growth and development in the village.

The CIC recently secured an option to purchase a nearly 85-acre property on state Route 14.

“We believe we could have sufficient space, depending on the size of the operation, for multiple businesses,” said Chris Page, CIC president.

The next step will be conducting geotechnical and environmental studies to see if the property is suitable for development before moving forward. A map shows the property lies north of state Route 14 and near the intersection with Howell Road.

Antonio Diaz-Guy, village manager, said Wednesday the studies will determine how much of the property, which is mostly vacant aside from a home, would be suitable for building commercial projects. 

Should the project go forward, it would necessitate a Joint Economic Development District with the trustees of Unity Township regarding commercial and agricultural properties that would fund the long-term sustainability of the municipal utilities.

Although a preliminary study has been done, the utilities project would need engineering for the extension of village water and sewer out of town on Howell Road, with a loop that would go down either North Market Street or Brookdale Avenue. A new water tower and pump stations could also be part of the extension.

The village has entered into a $100,000 contract with the property owner for a one-year option, which allows access to the property for testing, Diaz-Guy said. The village has the opportunity to extend that option for another year. 

Columbiana County property records show the four parcels are owned by Mary Carlson Behne.

While $100,000 to secure access to the property may seem like a lot to some, Diaz-Guy said the size of the property could lead to 450 local jobs and other projects along state Route 14.

“It would be a very sizable business park,” Diaz-Guy said. 

He predicts that if the entire property is buildable, it would make room for no less than four large companies or two large companies and a dozen small- or medium-size companies. 

“It’s going to be two or three years before we have water on Route 14,” Diaz-Guy said, noting it is a long-term project for the CIC. 

The agreed-upon purchase price for the property is $1.1 million, according to Diaz-Guy.

Page credited fellow CIC board member Tom Brittian for having the vision to look at various properties near state Route 14 for the future economic benefit of East Palestine. 

Diaz-Guy said the CIC had been considering smaller properties, but then this larger one came on the market.

Ideally, interested businesses looking to locate in the park would be able to build exactly what they are looking for once the commerce park is ready, Page said.

The potential commerce park project is only one of the many projects currently in the works by the CIC:

  • The village is about to list the former Jasar Recycling properties for sale with Platz Realty Group, according to Diaz-Guy. The site had been considered for a new first responder training center in the weeks following the February 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment in the village, but the project was scrapped from the final settlement agreement between the village and Norfolk Southern, announced in January 2025. In November, it was announced that Youngstown State University would be partnering with Norfolk Southern to create a $20 million training center.

“We want employers in town,” Diaz-Guy said. “Despite being a little bit older in some areas, each of these buildings has very new warehousing facilities and are in pretty good shape. These are going to be listed this week, and we’re actively seeking employers to move into the community that bring jobs, revenue and tax base.”

Jasar Recycling was situated on multiple properties on Edgeworth Avenue.

  • The interior of the historic train depot is scheduled for renovation this year. The outside was renovated by Norfolk Southern as part of the settlement agreement with the village.
  • After tearing down the former PNC Bank building at 81 N. Market St., new construction is slated for the site for what has been described as a retail/restaurant establishment.
  • Minor repairs are slated for the building that once housed Kat’s Krystals, 94 N. Market St., to prepare it for a future lease.
  • More substantial repairs are planned for the building next door at 90 N. Market St., which was formerly the China Café Chinese restaurant. The building also will be available for lease once repairs are made.

Page said the CIC was fortunate to have the buildings that once housed Kat’s Krystals and the Chinese restaurant donated to the CIC by the owner.

“We’re so very, very thankful to Shirley Smith for doing so,” Page said. “We are making some investments into those properties and really hope to get other businesses in there ASAP.”