Mahoning Township officials appear willing to lend their support for a landmark structure to receive a historic building designation.

Cindy Gasper approached township supervisors last week about getting the designation for the former Broney’s Hotel at the intersection Route 902 and Mill Road in the village of New Mahoning.

Supervisor Ronald Reeser said he had no problem with the request.

“I certainly wouldn’t mind looking into it,” Reeser said.

Gasper said that she previously applied to the Pennsylvania Historic & Museum Commission about a year ago, and they are awaiting the building to be at least 75% complete before their decision to put them on the state registry as a historical landmark.

“I think it promotes your township (to be historic),” Gasper said.

Supervisor Myron Blahy agreed.

“It’s a very nice building,” Blahy said.

However, board Chairman Robert Slaw said it would come with a cost, and asked whether the township wanted to spend taxpayer money.

Gasper told the board she would have no problem donating the money.

After the meeting, Gasper said she is one of several investors who purchased the 125-year-old structure, which she said will be converted into a restaurant called “Circa 1898.”

She added that a portion in the back will be a small cafe, and that eventually, her cousin, Craig Brophy, wants to put a winery/distillery in there.

Gasper said the investors include several members of her family, and that she and her brother, Dean Bartholomew, are the primary owners of the building.

Gasper said they are about 75% done.

“We would like to open in October,” Gasper said. “It was supposed to be sooner, but we got held up.” Gasper said it could initially employ about 20 people, as they plan to start slow.

She added that the winery/distillery likely won’t be open until next year.

Gasper said they would love to see it become an historic building.

“It’s just a matter of getting the criteria built up; the township has to develop that,” she said. “Once they develop that, it would allow them to vote on designating certain properties based on certain criteria as an historic building.”