Almost six years after announcing a healthcare clinic will be coming to Youngstown’s south side neighborhood, One Health Ohio still isn’t open. 

“Things take time but they don’t take five, six, seven years. That’s not how long they take,” Ian Beniston with the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation said. 

In 2017, the healthcare company made plans to turn the 18,000-square-foot building into a full-service community clinic. Now, with nothing still up and running, some in the area are asking for answers.

“It's not much more than ten years old so we see it as an asset to Glenwood Avenue and we don’t want it to be sitting there,” Beniston said. 

Even though plans to take over the old Bottom Dollar were announced in 2017, Ron Dwindles, One Health Ohio’s CEO said they didn’t get possession of the building until 2018. 

“We did do a lot of pre-work. The architectural plans took quite a while to do … we have put a half million dollars into the building already getting the infrastructure ready,” Dwinnells said. “It's one of those things that you overtly did not see but behind the scenes, we have been working and preparing.” 

Just as they planned to begin the major renovations,  the pandemic brought on an employee shortage and rising costs that One Health Ohio couldn’t manage.

“We predict now it’s going to be about a 5 to 6 million dollars first-year project based on current cost. Back then it was more around 4 million,” Dwinnells said.  

As a small nonprofit organization, they turned to the city of Youngstown for financial help asking for American Rescue funds. 

“We feel like we’ve invested a lot and all we’re asking for is a little investment back to us but we haven't heard anything,” Dwinnells said. 

In a letter from Dwinnells to Youngstown's Mayor written in February of 2023, Dwindles stated one of the biggest issues is the “lack of community interest, both financially and strategic support”. The letter also states the meetings he's had with the City Council and YNDC representatives have been “hostile, accusatory and demanding.”  Dwinnells said he has yet to hear back from the mayor and the city's law director told 21 News "we are not in a position to have public comments about this delicate situation at this time.”

Youngstown’s 6th Ward Councilwoman Anita Davis said she would not support legislation to give One Health Ohio funding and has asked One Health Ohio to start the paperwork to give the building back to the city.

“I'm tired of seeing our buildings and things sitting idle while someone, who's not within our community, is sitting on that property," Davis said.  “We could put it to good use.”

Recently, the YNDC sent a letter to One Health Ohio asking for an update on its plans and has yet to hear back. 

“We know that plans and priorities for businesses and organizations do change over time. So if that’s the case here we’re just asking that that’s shared and we can all work productively to see something else happen with that building,” Beniston said. 

If One Health Ohio gets the funding they need, Dwinnells said they can start on renovations right away.  Should they not get that money - Dwinnells said the board will then explore its options.   Until then the building on Glenwood Avenue will sit empty.