'We've believed in this for a long time'; Sharon, developer Landino betting on each other

Nov. 11—SHARON — When Jim Landino started buying properties in Sharon a decade ago, he never dreamed the city's revitalization would take off the way it is.

It started in 2012, when Landino knocked on the office door of Bob Fiscus, now city manager, looking for buildings to rehab. Landino wound up buying three buildings on South Sharpsville Avenue in the space of about six months.

"I was like, is this how it's going to go?" Landino said. "And that's exactly how it went."

Next, Landino sold Sunbelt Transformers in 2014 and started JCL Development, which he runs along with his wife, Jen Krezeczowski.

"Jen is the passion and brilliance of this mission," Landino said, adding that he is the brawn.

The couple then purchased the former Petrini Insurance building and turned it into Lulu Beans Café at 234 E. State St., and the former Buhl Armory/Julia F. Buhl Girls' Club behind it at 49 S. Sharpsville Ave., which was built in 1905.

"That's when the phone started ringing," Landino said, adding that word got around that he was fixing up buildings, so people started coming to him and asking him to purchase buildings.

Fast forward 10 years, when the city received almost $14 million in American Rescue Plan funds. City council approved allocating almost $3 million for business revitalization grants.

About a third of the revitalization grant funds from the city, or about $1 million, are going to businesses settling into JCL Development properties. In addition, JCL Development was recently awarded a state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant for $850,000 to further renovate the Chestnut Avenue block. Specifically, to renovate the upstairs from the Shenango Valley Chamber office on the south end and the former Winner Arts and Culture Center/Willson's Furniture building, upstairs from Evolve Fitness. It will get a new elevator.

Landino said the grants have given his properties the hand up that they've needed.

"You can't really do some of these projects without some help," Landino said. "Thank God the grants showed up at this time, because we're out of money."

Ten years and at least $10 million later, Landino and Krezeczowski have purchased over 50 properties in Sharon, the bulk in the downtown.

"Ten years ago in November, we started tearing buildings apart on Sharpsville Avenue," Landino said. "Ten years that we've been trying to get enough fuel in the tank, to get this thing moving."

With that help coming in the form of grants, and some lending from banks, JCL Development is now juggling several projects.

"With the grant money coming in and understanding how to take that money and use that with the investments that are already there," Landino said. "Over the course of ten years, we owned the real estate, and we've actually done a really good job of recreating the town, now the grants are putting them to work."

Krezeczowski said the city has done a great job in doling out the grant money to businesses.

"I think they're being calculated, they're thinking short-term and big picture," Krezeczowski said, adding that bringing on Sherris Moreira as downtown development director was a good move on the city's part.

The Lulu Beans building, at East State Street and Sharpsville Avenue, eventually will be converted into the home of Julian's Bar and Grill, which received $100,000 of ARPA funds from the city. The business will offer a large gourmet burger menu along with keto, paleo, vegetarian and vegan options.

After purchasing Lulu Beans and The Armory, next on the list was the Applegate building across the street at 38-52 N. Sharpsville Ave. Built in 1926, the building now houses a barbershop and Gifted at Applegate on the ground floor. The gift shop just reopened three weeks ago, and is adding a variety of teas to its inventory.

On the top floor is Sharon City Eyeworks, a division of Eyes of Faith Optical, 44 N. Sharpsville Ave., which received $95,000 of ARPA funds, bringing a new business into the city.

In the northernmost corner of the building will be Elephant No. 8 Thai Restaurant at 52 N. Sharpsville Ave., which received $95,000 in ARPA funds to bring a new restaurant into the city.

Coming into 74 N. Sharpsville Ave., across from the Applegate building and down the street from the library, will be Croakers Brewing Company, awarded $70,000 from the city for brewery expansion and relocation.

A project well in the works now is Webb Winery's new location, in the former Billy's Black and Gold building at 514 N. Sharpsville Ave. The winery will keep its location at 3180 E. State St., Hermitage.

The new business was awarded $70,000 in ARPA funds from the city. Owner Carlee Webb said it should be fully operational by the summer of 2023 with retail, tasting and event space to follow.

Landino said he wants the Chestnut Street building to become the city's centerpiece.

The four-story former Brewtus Brewing building at 23 Chestnut Ave., will house Nova Destinations, which received $150,000 in ARPA funding. Multiple themed bars will be the highlight of the business. Owner Walter Novosel said the establishment will be opening to the public in November or December.

Next door at 25 Chestnut Ave. is Cycle Life Indoor Cycling, and around the corner, at 98 E. State St., sits Evolve Fitness on the ground floor of the former Willson's Furniture. Evolve was awarded $9,000 in ARPA funding for business expansion.

"It would be nice if eyes were focused on that Chestnut block," Landino said. "We could make it the centerpiece of the city."

JCL Development is also a partner with Hudson Companies in Shenango LLC, which received $450,000 in ARPA funds for student housing downtown at the former Carine and Co. building at 297 Shenango Ave. near the Penn State Shenango campus.

A project going on that JCL Development brought about was when they rescued the former Sacred Heart Church building at 40 S. Irvine Ave.

The company sold the building to the Area Community Theatre of Sharpsville for a loss to allow ACTS to become the owner and operator. The city awarded ACTS $250,000 in ARPA funding for business expansion. Downstairs in 40 Below, which has been operating since 2020. Upstairs is the newly renovated Performing Arts Center, which held its grand opening in October.

"This was the best use for the community," Landino said.

Landino and Krezeczowski are dumbfounded when they hear of Sharon residents who have no faith in their city.

"You've got to believe in your city," Landino said. "We've believed in this for a long time."

He said there are great people in the community who also believe.

"In Sharon, there's this feeling of oneness," Landino said. "People feel like this is an opportunity that they want to be involved in."

Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com

Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com