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Youngstown Council renews cooperative agreement with Western Reserve Port Authority; director denies data‑center rumors
Summary
Council approved a cooperative‑agreement ordinance with the Western Reserve Port Authority to designate properties for development. Anthony Trevina, the authority’s executive director, denied any affiliation with a private data‑center project and described recent redevelopment work and cleanup funding, including nearly $700,000 raised for remediation and a $7 million investment in a veterans service center.
The Youngstown City Council on Jan. 7 approved an ordinance to renew and amend a cooperative agreement with the Western Reserve Port Authority that allows the port authority to help designate properties for redevelopment in Youngstown.
Council members raised community questions about the Port Authority's role and rumors that a data center would locate at a city site. "If Mr. Trevina could also dispel the rumor that there's a data center going into [a] factory," Councilman Oliver said; Anthony Trevina, executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority, responded directly: "The Port Authority does not have any type of affiliation with Sobe in any official capacity whatsoever, and, nor are we working with any, data centers regarding the city of Youngstown or actually any community with our jurisdiction at this time." (Speaker: Anthony Trevina)
Trevina described the authority's redevelopment work, including prior projects with McGuffey properties, efforts to secure grants, and investments to return vacant properties to productive use. He said the port authority helped secure nearly $700,000 in cleanup funds (including ARPA contributions) for McGuffey properties and noted the authority invested about $7,000,000 in the new Mahoning County Veterans Service Center. He said the authority was in discussions about property listings and negotiations but denied current data-center deals.
After Trevina’s remarks and council discussion, the ordinance to renew the cooperative agreement was approved as part of the council’s consent and second-reading votes.
Next step: The cooperative agreement renewal allows ongoing port authority involvement in redevelopment negotiations; council members requested continued communication with the Port Authority to clarify community concerns.
