This conceptual drawing shared with members of Salem City Council’s Economic Development Committee Wednesday night shows what the three vacant lots, former Butler Museum building and bank building along East State Street just east of South Broadway Avenue could look like if a proposed development for a possible science and technology-based children’s museum becomes reality. Sustainable Opportunity Development Center Executive Director Michael Mancuso is working with a non-profit foundation on what’s been dubbed Project Unlock Our Future. (Image provided by SOD Center)

SALEM –A children’s museum geared toward science and technology could be coming to downtown Salem on the south side of East State Street just east of South Broadway Avenue.

“At the end of the day, we want to develop an attraction for historic downtown and expose youth of the community to modern day industry through science and technology,” Sustainable Opportunity Development Center Executive Director Michael Mancuso said.

During Salem City Council’s Economic Development Committee meeting Wednesday night, Mancuso showed committee members copies of conceptual renderings of how the five parcels proposed for the project could appear if they’re developed as envisioned. Three vacant properties where a former bookstore, former bakery and the TanFastic building were located are shown as an enclosed green space with a fountain and possibly a stage area or patio area next to the former Butler Museum building and the bank building on the corner.

The name of the developer hasn’t been released, but Mancuso indicated he’s been working with a nonprofit foundation on the project. Right now they’re working on negotiations to acquire the two buildings and the three vacant lots. One lot is privately owned by the Soltis family, another lot is owned by the city and the third lot is owned by the Columbiana County land bank, with the bank building privately owned by a corporation from Kent and the former Butler owned by the Salem Art Institute. The investment firm Stifel Nicolaus remains operating on an upper floor of the bank building.

Funding is another part of the puzzle for the project.

“We’re really starting to piece this together,” Mancuso said.

He explained that part of the concept for the science and technology-based museum is workforce development, perhaps looking at additive manufacturing. He said a project of this magnitude takes a lot of time and effort with multiple people involved. With all the negative talk about that section of downtown being empty, he wanted to provide everybody with a vision for the future.

Councilman Dave Nestic asked about the probability for the project moving forward and Mancuso put the number at 75 percent right now, noting the negotiations are ongoing for acquiring the private properties and they’re working on the financing package. He said that number will rise once the missing piece is established to update the Design Review Board ordinance so downtown properties can qualify for some grants available.

He said getting the ordinance passed has to be a priority and said there’s grant funding for up to $300,000 which if secured could pump $150,000 into the project and make another $150,000 available for facade improvements in the downtown. He would like to see the updated ordinance get through council by the end of this year.

A public hearing has already been set for 6 p.m. Oct. 27 in city council chambers for the Design Review Board to explain the three areas proposed for revision in the ordinance.

In other business, the committee approved the 2017 scope of work for the SOD Center’s work for the city, increasing the funding from $40,000 per year to $60,000 per year with the idea that the SOD Center would take charge of the downtown redevelopment, which means the SOD Center could contract with Town Center Associates on its own to work on downtown if that’s what is wanted. TCA is currently under contract through the city.

The committee also voted to forward to legal counsel and city council a revision to the Community Reinvestment Area to now cover the entire city with the exception of three newer housing developments, Bricker Farms Development, Brooks Farms Development and Stone Castle Development. The committee had previously been concerned about the effect on housing sales for older homes if those newer developments were included. The CRA gives all property owners, including residential, business and industrial, a chance to build or remodel and get a tax break on the improved value. Also, any land annexed into the city will fall under the CRA.

The committee gave Mancuso the go-ahead to work on a joint development agreement with the Bricker family to jumpstart the development of remaining sections in Bricker Farms where infrastructure is needed. The city would need to issue bonds to pay for the infrastructure project with the cost then levied against parcels as they’re sold. Needed are a road, curbing, storm sewers and a water line. The sewer line is already there. The project will move to the city administration for negotiations with the developer for a final agreement, which would then require council approval.

Mancuso also presented the committee with copies of the SOD Center’s quarterly report of economic development activities on the city’s behalf. He mentioned that the Ohio Department Of Transportation is exploring the establishment of a truck route to restrict truck traffic in the city to local traffic only and have trucks use the bypass, then U.S. Route 62 to state Route 165 and then state Route 46 to get back to state Route 14 in Columbiana. The latest traffic count showed an average of 1,000 tractor trailers per day traveling through downtown Salem.

mgreier@salemnews.net