SitemapThe Mahoning County Land Bank laid the foundation for its shift toward new development in 2024 with the demolition of more than 300 houses and the clearing of abandoned commercial brownfields and residential sites. One major achievement was the cleanup of the long-contaminated former Royal China factory in Sebring. The 20-acre site had been dormant since the 1980s, when the dinnerware producer closed the plant after 80 years of operation.
The two-year cleanup project included the delivery of 1,800 truckloads of clean soil to replace or encapsulate dirt riddled with lead and other contaminants. Much of the funding came from a $1.5 million state grant. The property owner, Michael Conny, owner of MAC Trailer in Alliance, will soon be eligible to apply for regulatory clearance to market the site. The Land Bank recently secured nearly $3.5 million in grants from the Ohio Department of Development to clean up three brownfield sites in Youngstown, including the Youngstown Flea building, the site of the former McGuffey Mall and the asbestos-ridden South High Field House.
“These grants will pay for costly environmental cleanup work and clear barriers to progress and development at these locations,” says Debora Flora, executive director of the Land Bank. In addition to commercial redevelopment, the Land Bank is increasing its inventory of buildable lots, setting the stage for its collaborative efforts with local partners to build new homes.
Of the 300-plus demolitions, nearly all were houses and residential multiplexes in Youngstown, with several in Campbell. The Land Bank has arranged more than 500 demolitions countywide over the past two years with the support of a $6.8 million state grant. “We’re glad to be on the other end of the majority of the demolition work,” Flora says, “and we have a lot of exciting plans and partnerships working toward making spaces productive again.”
Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. is building six three-bedroom homes on lots the Land Bank acquired years ago through foreclosures on Mineral Springs Avenue in Youngstown’s Idora neighborhood. The work is financed by a state grant.
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