A front page image appearing on the DSA Architecture schematic design of Leetonia’s new Community Learning and History Center to build near Gary Phillips Beehive Coke Ovens Community Park. Phillips retired as village administrator in May. The park includes 10 acres that support the industrial coke oven and iron history as well as 25 additional acres of natural preserve. (Submitted photo)

LEETONIA — The village of Leetonia still plans to build its Community Learning and History Center; however, officials had to scale back the initial conceptual design.

During Tuesday’s regular meeting, council took action to take next steps for the project, after hearing from Brian Stonelake from DS Architecture.

While the center still focuses on the village’s history, particularly the Coke Ovens, and is around 6,500 square feet like before, Mayor Kevin Siembida verified that it is now a single level building.

“Our goal is to take this unique piece of land and reclaim it to a productive use,” he explained, adding that an educational use regarding mining and the Leetonia Beehive Coke Ovens is a natural.

The ovens were constructed in 1866 as part of the Leetonia Iron and Coal Company and formed the economic backbone of the iron industry.

Fifty years after the ovens’ closure, a group of concerned citizens began cleanup at the site, which was eventually placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 and is just minutes from the Greenway Bike Trail.

Stonelake unveiled his vision for the project, which includes construction of the Leetonia Community Learning and History Center right on the property’s 35 acres.

The building includes a large multipurpose room/lecture hall, a smaller meeting, an office for the site manager, restroom facilities, a kitchenette area off the multipurpose room, the lobby, a family room, a quiet room, as well as spaces for storage, prep or programming.

The lecture hall appears to open up to a patio area and there is at least two areas dedicated to coal mining history.

Siembida thanked Stonelake for their efforts, especially in retooling the project two or three times, based on federal and state input, before council passed an action item to contract with DS for the project.

Siembida said that the village still has some fundraising to do, citing receipt of $3.5 million in grant funding from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) program, which is dedicated on reclaiming abandoned mine lands in conjunction with economic and community development.

Another $350,000 has been secured in state capital funds, $250,000 through the Appalachian Regional Commission and $100,000 from various other sources.

Council’s vote allows fiscal officer Nick Mistovich to draw down 10 percent of the AMLER grant to cover the design and engineering cost.

The goal is to get the project specifications before potential bidders by December.

sujhelyi@mojonews.com