LISBON — Columbiana County commissioners recently awarded the contract for the East Palestine Train Depot renovation project to Dynamic Structures of New Waterford for $889,545.

“We’re anticipating starting work in the first week of July,” Project Coordinator Haedan Panezott of the county Port Authority said.

The Port Authority is serving as administrator of the $250,000 state grant awarded toward the project from the Target of Opportunity Program Community Development Block Grant through the Ohio Department of Development and is overseeing the project. Strollo Architects is the design firm designing and handling the project.

Commissioners opened the bids last week, with Dynamic Structures submitting the lowest bid. Other bidders included: J. Herbert Construction Co., Salem, $953,000; Declan Construction, Brookfield, $961,690; and Brock Buildings, North Lima, $1,010,000.

According to the bid sheet, the architect’s opinion of cost was listed as $815,000.

The project involves rehabilitation and expansion of the existing building, including re-establishment or installation of all utilities with electrical work, new heating and air conditioning and plumbing systems, installation of bathrooms and a commercial kitchen, insulation upgrades, floor repair, utility extensions across the road for new service connections, new storm drainage and sidewalk replacement, building expansion for a walk-in cooler and new concrete patios on the north and south sides of the building.

Besides the grant, other funding will come from the East Palestine Community Improvement Corporation, which owns the train depot, and from the tenant, Black Diamond Brewery & Distillery, Panezott explained.

The project is expected to take four to six months for construction.

“I think that this is a transformational project for the downtown of East Palestine,” Panezott said. “We’re really excited to administer this project and support the community of East Palestine.”

In other business, commissioners authorized the clerk to advertise a public hearing for the 2027 county tax budget hearing at 9:05 a.m. July 8.

They also: awarded the county line striping contract to Oglesby Construction Inc, Norwalk, for $449,593 (the other bidder was Aero-Mark for $463,000); journalized a liquor license permit for West Point Carryout LLC, Madison Township with no hearing required; gave Michael Husk permission to hunt on the county’s County Home Road, Lisbon property; and adopted a policy establishing payment requirements for federal funds for CDBG.