Developer's $12M plan for Sinclair building seeks local, state collaboration

Thank you to WTOV9 & Reporter Skylar Sobansky for the great coverage on this story!

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — A potential $12 million development project could transform downtown Steubenville as a developer has its eye on a historical building that just went up for sale.

Located on North 4th Street, the historic Sinclair building went vacant within the last 60 days. Cedar One Group owner Joe Luckino said a developer from Pittsburgh has an interest in the property.

"It would be a $12 million development,” Luckino said. “It would have multiple layers of tax credits, revitalization tax credits, low-income tax credits and it would be a substantial investment.

"They would bring a ton of market rate apartments above and the main floor would be all commercial.”

While initially the plan sounds like a go, Luckino said there is a $2 million gap that needs bridged to make the project happen. He added they are looking for collaboration from local, state and federal leaders.

"We have a group called ASPIRE that does grants for us,” Steubenville Councilman Royal Mayo said. “There’s OMEGA. We work with the port authority, and we would love to work with people like Joe Luckino and Cedar One Group because they do excellent job and it would be great to get this building up and running again.”

If a grant isn’t possible, Mayo said the city will look at other funding avenues.

“I will talk to the different department heads and see what angle we can take after that, but we are going to do everything we can do get it done.”

Jefferson County Commissioner Tony Morelli said his office will do what it can to make the project a reality.

“I know (Ohio) Senator Chavez really well,” Morelli said. “Ron Ferguson, our representative, we have people here that go clear to the governor's office that we can make calls to"

Morelli added he plans to get the other commissioners on board as well as the port authority.

Luckino said if this is made possible, it would be one of the largest investments ever in downtown Steubenville.

"It is going to take a village working together to bring this to fruition,” Luckino said.