STEUBENVILLE - A Ravenna-based corporation is considering taking ownership of the former Roosevelt School/LaBelle Nursing Home on Maryland Avenue to demolish the structure and build a multi-use family residential facility.
Urban Projects Director Chris Petrossi told the city's planning and zoning commission Monday night the Neighborhood Development Services Corp. agreed Monday to pay a required $90,000 local match so the city can proceed with an application for asbestos abatement at the building that has been vacant for several years.
The city will seek $360,000 from the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund program for the asbestos abatement work.
Petrossi said the former school is currently owned by the Tower of Power Church located adjacent to the vacant property, "but they don't have the resources to bring the building into compliance or to bring it down."
"The building has been in very bad condition for some time," said Petrossi.
Neighborhood Development Services is currently renovating the Washington Square apartment building on North Fifth Street and will sell the property to the Jefferson Metropolitan Housing Authority for a nominal fee once the work is completed.
According to its website, the corporation is dedicated "to the revitalization of neighborhoods and communities through the provision and or promotion of affordable housing, environmental sustainability, economic development and job creation primarily for the benefit of low- and moderate-income households."
The commission also reviewed a grant application from the Steubenville Historic Landmarks Foundation requesting $125,000 from the state agency for asbestos abatement at the Grand Theater on South Fourth Street.
Petrossi said the required local match of $31,250 is covered by the Phase I and asbestos survey cost obtained in cooperation with the Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission.
Second Ward City Councilman Rick Perkins is expected to introduce legislation at tonight's council meeting authorizing the Urban Projects office to submit the two grant applications to the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund program.
In other business, two rezoning requests were forwarded to City Council with a positive recommendation because the commission did not have a quorum during public hearings on the applications for rezoning.
Ken Perkins, owner of Tri-State Financial Services of North Third Street, said he was in favor of the rezoning of the former Pietro DiNovo & Sons dealership on North Third Street, "because I would like to see something in that building again."
Prospective owners of the 1.24 acre lot who have remained anonymous requested the property be rezoned from a Business-1 district to a General Commercial and Industrial District for warehouse purposes.
Donald Cherepko of Sunset Motors said his request to rezone two lots on Powell Avenue adjacent to his dealership on Sunset Boulevard will allow him "to tear down the houses, improve the neighborhood and expand our parking area because we have added a Chrysler-Dodge franchise to our business."
No one opposed the rezoning requests and the council will hear a third and final reading on the rezoning legislation at next week's regular meeting.
The commission re-elected William Hendricks as commission chairman and re-appointed Teresa DiCarlantonio as the commission's representative to the Regional Planning Commission.
And Petrossi told the commission members his office has been notified they can anticipate receiving $568,403 in Community Development Block Grant funds for 2012, which is a 16.1 percent cut in funding from the 2011 allocation.
