LOWELLVILLE, Ohio – A businessman who is putting the finishing touches on three new condominiums overlooking the Mahoning River here is wasting no time starting his next project.
By this spring, work is scheduled to begin on 12 new condominium units in the village at the site of the former K-12 school at the corner of First and Walnut streets, developer Matt Estephan said.
“There will be six buildings with two units each,” Estephan said. The condos range between 1,400 and 1,800 square feet, he added, and are without basements.
Each unit will consist of a two-car garage, a master bedroom on the first floor and two bedrooms on the second floor, he added.
The new development is located on the site of the former Lowellville K-12 school, which was razed in 2003 after a new school campus was constructed. Since then, the approximately 2-acre space has been converted into a public park, known as Old School Park. The park is bordered by East Walnut Street to the north, First Street to the east, East Grant Street to the south and McGill Street to the west.
“He’s ready to roll,” Mayor James Iudiciani said of Estephan’s project. “We don’t have a lot of places for growth in the village, so these are going to sell.”
Iudiciani said the village obtained the property after the school was razed and then ceded it to the Lowellville Community Development Corp. “We saw the value of trying to get it developed.”

The developer acquired the property in August for $23,940, according to records from the Mahoning County Auditor’s office.
Estephan said he believes there is strong demand for housing, especially in quiet communities such as Lowellville. Those who live outside the village find it inviting, while current residents who are thinking of downsizing but want to remain in the community will now have more options, he said.
“A lot of people in town here want to stay in Lowellville,” he said. “It’s a small community, and this helps bring the city back to life.”
Estephan estimated that the project investment would stand between $1.5 million and $2 million. The entire complex could be completed by early 2026.
Simultaneously, Estephan plans to finish renovating a century-old building along Water Street, which runs along the Mahoning River. The plan is to complete the downtown Frech building over the next six to eight months and convert it into a café and sandwich shop.
Among the amenities planned for the Frech building is a large deck extending over the water’s edge, where patrons can relax on a warm day and enjoy the benefits of the Mahoning River’s scenic beauty.

That renovation project has already started, Estephan said, as workers were busy cleaning up portions of the now gutted building, first built in 1925. “We’re already doing the engineering stuff, getting it ready,” he said.
Meanwhile, tradesmen were applying the final touches to two of three condominiums that are tucked into the north banks of the Mahoning. These first units will be ready within two weeks, while the third should be finished sometime in February.
The effort closes out a year and a half of work restoring a dilapidated structure on Water Street that was just months away from being demolished.
Estephan said he thought the building – constructed in 1909 – still held potential. Its waterfront location, he added, placed it in prime position for upscale condominiums, with decking that extends over the water for a panoramic view of the river.
Iudiciani said investors such as Estephan help inject new life into the community, noting there might be future opportunities to develop the waterfront.
“If he continues to do stuff on the river, then a lot of our mom-and-pop businesses can be sustained,” Iudiciani said.
Riverfront Opportunity
Since the Lowellville dam was removed in 2020, the Mahoning River has returned to its natural free-flowing state. The river has since attracted fishermen, kayakers and canoers to the village, which has helped spur development of a pavilion and park near a recently constructed launch.
“The river is going very good,” Iudiciani said, adding it’s become a destination spot for recreation. This year, the village is moving forward on a $936,000 project that includes improvements to Water Street and new playground equipment at the park.
“The equipment alone costs $350,000,” he said. These amenities include basketball/pickleball courts, new benches and picnic tables and a playground area. “That should finish this year.”
This riverfront activity is what prompted Vickie Davanzo to locate her kayak, canoe and bicycle rental business there. The business, Mahoning Paddle & Pedal, will locate in a now vacant building along Liberty Street near the entrance of the Stavich Bike Trail.
The building will initially serve as a storage place for equipment, Davanzo said. Once renovations are finished, she said the building will be used as a meeting place for bicycle or kayak clubs. The site could also be used for youth activities and bike safety lessons for kids.
She said the Lowellville location opened a great opportunity for the rental business. “When this building presented itself, it looked like a good fit for our storage and customer needs.”
Other developments in the village include work on a $2.5 million improvement project for Youngstown-Lowellville Road, the mayor said.
“These are exciting things,” Iudiciani said. “We’ve really been blessed.”
Pictured at top: An artist’s rendering of the new condominium units in Lowellville.