WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) — The administration of the Warren City Schools took another step toward building a new recreation and wellness center on Thursday.

Superintendent Steve Chiaro called it, “The biggest thing to happen in the school system since the high school was built.”

Mike Coats of Coats Construction in Niles, along with three other companies, tried convincing the Athletic Council of Warren City Schools to allow them to build the new recreation and wellness center.

“I believe it’s going to happen, I don’t see any reason why not,” Chiaro said.

Before the presentations, Chiaro discussed the center, which will be attacked to the high school and lead into the adjacent Mollenkopf Stadium between two stakes now in place. There are, as of yet, no drawings of what it will look like.

“We have a lot of work we’ve done in wellness in Warren City Schools. We want to promote yoga, we want to promote social/emotional learning, we want to promote even possibly a sensory room for our students with autism,” Chiaro said.

The center will have a 200 meter track with practice space in the middle, along with a second floor mezzanine walking track. A bistro serving health food is being planned, along with an urgent care medical center.

The total cost is projected to be around $15 million.

“Much of that has already been put aside in capital improvements. We do have it as part of our application to the state for app funds we’re waiting to hear back from. But a combination of all of it. It should be completely funded without any additional costs to taxpayers, no levies, including maintenance, upkeep and moving forward,” Chiaro said.

They plan to break ground between March and June of 2022 and want to complete the center by August of 2023.