EAST PALESTINE, Ohio – The village and the Community Improvement Corp. are hoping to hit their stride in 2026.

“I really want to come into 2026 telling the world that East Palestine is investable,” said Antonio Diaz-Guy, village administrator. “We have properties, and we have infrastructure. At one point, this town had tremendous amounts of industry and retail. … We can do it again. We just need to start getting that momentum.”

The first project as the new year begins will be addition through subtraction.

The CIC has hired Brock Builders of North Lima to tear down the former PNC Bank at 81 N. Market St. to make way for a retail and restaurant commercial building, as well as new outdoor space for village gatherings.

Currently known as CIC Plaza, the outdoor site has the community Christmas tree on one corner and paved space out front, which once served as the lanes for the drive-thru. The CIC had volunteers spruce up that part of property last year but intends to improve it further during the project.

The deconstruction of the former bank building will include removal of the bank’s vault, ATM vault and bullet proof glass, along with the building.

Construction fencing is already erected around the building, and work is expected to start 10 days after the asbestos testing survey is completed. 

Although the prospective tenants are not being announced yet, Chris Page, CIC president and treasurer, said the CIC has been working with them and that announcement should come once a lease contract is signed in the upcoming weeks. The CIC currently has a memorandum of understanding with the tenants.

Diaz-Guy said the former PNC building was the first property purchased with the money from last holiday season’s Brighten Our Futures campaign. The cost was about $100,000.

A year later, the CIC raised additional money through the campaign, including a recent $25,000 platinum sponsor donation from the Fraternal Order of Eagles 1506.

Diaz-Guy said retrofitting the building would have cost between $100,000 and $200,000, more than tearing it down and rebuilding. Page said demolishing the building will cost $30,000.

The village also gave the CIC a $500,000 interest-free loan to help with the start of projects, which Diaz-Guy said remains unused. He said the CIC will be able to repay that money fully.

The village also recently joined the cities of Columbiana and Salem in using Building Solutions in Salem to handle building permits instead of going through the state of Ohio.

“It’s going to be a direct source,” Diaz-Guy said. “And so, with the timelines, we expect to be substantially shorter, days not months. … As we try and move things forward, we can’t really afford to be delayed. So it was critical to make sure that we did that so that with these projects, when we do win them, they can actually be built quickly.”

Page said the construction of the new building at the former PNC site could be complete by the end of summer. He said the CIC and prospective tenants have been working with the architect to design a building right for both prospective businesses to use.

Diaz-Guy described it as a “modern-spec commercial dining and retail establishment.”

There are not many modern commercial buildings in East Palestine, and Diaz-Guy sees a number of properties needing repairs and upgrades after being allowed to degrade over time.

“If the CIC wants to be the best example of what private property owners should be doing, we want to make sure we do it right,” Diaz-Guy said.

Diaz-Guy and Page indicated that the project at the former PNC site is the first of many projects to come.

“There’s actually a lot of very positive stuff happening,” Page said. “We’re just trying to get our ducks in a row before we make the public announcements, but you will be seeing a number of those announcements over the next few months as we continue to work positively toward the future.”

Pictured at top: The former PNC Bank building in East Palestine.