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Issue date: 2/26/08 Section: News

The hottest property in town is located at 128 W. Rayen Ave. Youngstown State University wants it; the owner, Joseph Grenga, is not interested in selling. Not even for $205,000 from the city of Youngstown.

The city has filed a petition with the Common Pleas Court to take possession of said property. According to a motion filed by City Law Director Iris Torres-Guglucello on Jan. 25, there is a need to "appropriate the real estate for making or repairing of roads open to the public without charge."

In other words, Grenga will be forced to vacate the premises and accept the money offered for YSU's new $34.3 million business school building.

The city contends that the offer made to Grenga is fair and adequate, considering that he purchased the commercial property in October of 2001 for $95,800.

The real estate at issue houses the small family-owned business Grenga Machine & Welding Company.

Grenga said he has spent on average $10,000 a year on renovations and upkeep of the machine shop. In addition, he maintains that the relocation of his business' five- to 10-ton machinery would be difficult, costly and dangerous.

"The money that has been offered is for the building only. It would cost much more to move and store the equipment than has be quoted, not to mention finding another building that can house everything," Grenga said.

Deal for YSU, no deal for Grenga

"I think the article printed in The Vindicator is easily misinterpreted. The city [of Youngstown] is trying to take the property under the guise of eminent domain to build a road. They can say they are going to make a road and change their minds to do something else with it. In all actuality, they want to take the land and sell or give it to YSU," Grenga said.

Grenga's father started the family operation 75 years ago in 1933.

"This is a three-generation effort. … I, and my two sons, still work here, in Youngstown, every day. We like it here," Grenga said of the 10,515 square foot building.

Grenga said money is not always a consideration.

"No one ever came to me with an offer," he said. "I got a notice in the mail about two months ago saying that they are offering me money and if I do not accept, [the city] will take me to court and take it to make a street that the public will not actually use."

Meet Mr. Grenga

Joseph Grenga has lunch in the Phar-Mor Building daily between noon and 1 p.m. He wears long-sleeved fleece shirts and Dickies workwear pants — his self-ascribed work uniform. He describes himself as a common man from the Fosterville section on the South Side of Youngstown.

Continued...

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