Business owner pushes for permanent closure of Dana Street

WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) — A street closure in Warren that has lasted for years will now stay shut a little longer but one local business owner says it’s time to make the change permanent.

Dana Street in Warren has been temporarily closed for years, but now the question on the table is whether that closure should become permanent, from North Park all the way to Paige Avenue.

On Wednesday, Christopher Alan, CEO of Dasher Lawless, the parent company of Auto ParkIt, took Warren city council on a walking tour of his company’s 42-acre campus, which spans both sides of the closed road.

“In order for us to take product up and down the street, in order to unload trucks in the street, in order for employees to be able to run golf carts to and from buildings, we need to close the campus,” Alan said.

Alan’s company owns six buildings along Dana Street, with plans to build more. Since 2019, there has been $6 million invested in improvements, and he says his company has generated an economic impact of over $31 million.

“My expectation is that the city of Warren and the community as a whole recognize the benefit of having companies like ours, small companies turning into big companies coming in and investing in the city of Warren,” Alan said.

To help with traffic flow, Alan donated nearly an acre of land to help reconfigure the problematic Dana and Paige intersection. That upgrade will be paid for by a $3.2 million federal EDA grant.

“You can go and look at the manholes that have been pounded into the ground, telephone poles that are hit regularly by semi trucks trying to traverse an offset intersection,” said Alan.

City council recently extended the street closure by another 30 days as of May 15, but a formal petition to close Dana Street permanently is expected soon. Alan says his connection to Warren runs deep and his ion for reinvestment is personal.

“My dad worked across the street for 42 years. The city gave a lot to me as a young kid, and I want to repay that,” he said.

Alan says he’s ready to move forward and will work with the council to find the right legal path, whether that’s through an easement or a full street vacation.

For now, Dana Street remains closed, and the future of the road and the company remains in the city’s hands.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.