MASSILLON, Ohio — For many years, a block of buildings along South Erie Street was part of the fabric and heartbeat of Downtown Massillon. The buildings have been vacant for several decades, but now, a developer hopes to breathe new life into them.
Developer Gary Pellegrino purchased the historic Bloomfield's and Stone Block buildings a few months ago. He described the vision of his project as a "vibrant mixed-use development."
"Ultimately, this project is designed to bring steady foot traffic and thousands of annual visitors downtown, incubate small businesses, and create jobs to help with Massillon's ongoing revitalization," Pellegrino said.
The 45,000-square-foot landmark property could house a restaurant, retail space, office space and banquet halls — including a possible wedding venue.
Black and white photos capture the rich history of the buildings, which were built in 1832 by Masons. Over the years, the property housed a Masonic Temple, and later a department store and Lee's Furniture, which caught fire in 1963. It was repaired and reopened, but the buildings have since sat vacant for at least 40 years, city officials said.
Massillon Mayor Jamie Slutz said he only remembers the buildings as vacant.
"I was a policeman here for 25 years, and born and raised here, and I don't ever remember this building being in use," Slutz said.
Ted Herncane, Massillon's Director of Development, said the city will ask council to approve tax breaks over 10 years for the project. The developer is also seeking a state grant of up to $1 million.
"It is one of our most cherished historic structures in Downtown Massillon and we're very excited to see the developer bring it back to life," Herncane said.
Herncane said the grant could be the deciding factor in whether the project moves forward.
"I would say that grant is probably the most important thing that's going to bring this project to fruition. Without it, I'm not sure," Herncane said.
Some interior renovations have already taken place over the past 12 years. Pellegrino hopes to get the project underway by January, with a target of reopening the historic buildings with new businesses in 2028.
Across the street, Sam Alawwad, the manager of Beir Banc carryout, said the development would be good for the entire area.
"If you make good business here, you bring good business for all of Massillon," Alawwad said.
Slutz said the investment is part of his overall plan to find ways to repurpose old buildings.
"We want to encourage people to come into the city. The doors are open here in the city of Massillon. We want to renovate these buildings and get them in use," Slutz said.
