YOUNGSTOWN - Youngstown may spend $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan funds to turn a now-closed southside grocery store into space that includes a facility offering maternal and other health care services.

Wednesday’s city council agenda includes an emergency measure to allocate the funding to rehabilitate the city-owned former Bottom Dollar store building at 2649 Glenwood Avenue.

In addition to providing space for other tenants, the building would also house the Village of Healing.

Currently in Cuyahoga County, the Village of Healing is a community-based organization offering gynecology, obstetrics, mental health assistance, vaccines, telehealth, and other services.

In March, the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Children and Youth awarded $188,525 to the Village of Healing to operate in Mahoning County.

The award granted from ODH and DCY is part of a $5 million grant that seeks to give local and faith-based organizations the means to create and expand services for maternal care and health and to support new families.

In 2021 President Joseph Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act providing local communities in Ohio with $5.9 billion to offset revenue lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bottom Dollar closed its Glenwood Avenue store ten years ago.