NILES, Ohio – Two projects funded by the Ohio Appalachian Community Grant program will be transformational, not just for Niles but the broader region, local and state officials said.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday at the site of the new Niles Public Square, one of the projects being funded by $3.5 million from the Appalachian grant program’s Ohio’s Wonderful Waterfronts Initiative. The grant, one of several announced by Gov. Mike DeWine in May 2024, also will fund construction of the nearby Riverside Park kayak and boat launch.
Community leaders joined state and local officials for the ceremony.
It’s often been said that downtown Niles has been forgotten because the Eastwood Mall area is the city’s main business district, as well as the “economic epicenter” of Trumbull County, Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz said.
“What may not be a good fit for the Eastwood Mall may be a good fit for downtown Niles, and we’re trying to find a good complement for both the mall and the downtown area,” he continued. “The overall goal is to create something that really makes an impact that is transformational and that drives more traffic to downtown Niles.”
The local riverfront projects announced last year build on the Mahoning River dam removals that have been underway during the past several years, said Jim Kinnick, executive director of Eastgate Regional Council of Governments. Eastgate was the lead applicant on the grant application.
“I love these types of projects. These turn communities around,” he said
“We are doing something unprecedented,” Mientkiewicz said. “This is something that the city has desired; it is something that is needed in our community; and it’s something that couldn’t happen without the $3.5 million Appalachian regional grant.”
Located on the site of the former Robins Theatre at the intersection of South Main Street and West State Street, Niles Public Square will offer flexibility, said Bianca Rozenblad, city planner/grant coordinator. It will feature a stage for small performances and concerts, with a mix of both permanent and temporary seating; parking spaces and electrical connections for food trucks; and a letter sculpture of the city’s name.
“So it really gives control to the city, residents of Niles, style, civic groups of Niles, to say, ‘What do you want to do? What event do you want to have?’” she said. “From there, we can kind of flex and make the space theirs for any event.”
Riverfront Park, which will be located just southeast of the viaduct, about an eight-minute walk from the new public square. It will have a launch area, an outdoor educational pavilion and nature play and furniture pieces, she added. In addition to offering educational opportunities for children, the space could be used for yoga classes for adults or forestry classes.
“Our hope for that particular part is for it to kind of reconnect us back to the Mahoning River, as well as, indirectly, to Mosquito Creek,” she said. She noted Mosquito Creek and the Mahoning River meet in Niles.
The grant also provided funding for architectural and engineering services for the renovation of the former Masonic Temple building, a couple blocks away from the public square site. The project received about $200,000 for the consulting work, Mientkiewicz said.
Having the early assistance was key to being able to start the project, developer Dominic Gatta said.
“We’re almost complete with our architectural and engineering,” and an anchor tenant for the building has been secured, Gatta said. He expects to have the building ready for occupancy late in the first quarter of 2026 or early in the second quarter.
“It’s our goal to cut the ribbon on Niles Public Square and Riverside Park in the spring of 2026 and open it up to the Niles community,” Mientkiewicz said.
Construction of Riverside Park is expected to cost about $1 million, and the public square will be a little over $1 million, Mientkiewicz said.
MS Consultants, Youngstown, is the lead designer and planner for the project, and Integra Excavating, Hubbard, is the general contractor.
Pictured at top: Kevin Drozin, project manager, MS Consultants; Giovanne Merlo, city auditor; Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz; Bianca Rozenblad, planner/grant coordinator; John Carey, director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia; Kathy Zook of Eastgate Regional Council of Governments; and developer Dominic Gotta.