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NILES — A new marijuana business hopes to be growing green in the city of Niles by spring of next year.

Monday evening, the Niles City Council granted provisional approval to Dabpak LLC for medical marijuana growing, recreational marijuana growing and recreational marijuana processing at 2190 Industrial Dr., Niles. Dabpak will take over the current Modineer building, which is moving to a new location within the city.

The motion passed 7-1, with council member Georgia Boggs voting no.

Following the vote, Dabpak representatives Kevin McVearry, CEO, and Daniel Wisniewski, COO, said they were excited for their business’ future in the city of Niles.

“It’s great,” McVearry said. “We are excited the community is approving us.”

The business representatives said they chose Niles to grow their business both for its location and the city’s welcoming position to marijuana companies.

“It’s a beautiful [city], and a natural fit,” Wisniewski said.

Dabpak is currently finalizing the lease on the space and hopes to be inside the building by January. If all goes to plan, they hope to begin growing by March of next year.

“We are working on everything right now to have all of our approvals in line before [we move in],” McVearry said. “That’s our next step right there.”

McVearry said he believes Dabpak will benefit the city by providing local jobs. In the business’ first phase, he estimates Dabpak will hire 10 to 12 employees. By the end of 2022, he hopes to employ between 40 to 50 individuals.

“We are a very employee-forward company with great wages,” McVearry said. “We actually have built into our business plan 2 percent of gross sales to go toward employee benefits.”

Until they can start getting employees in the building and marijuana plants growing, McVearry and Wisniewski said they were just happy to have received the city council’s provisional approval.

“We are really excited and ready to be here,” McVearry said.

Also Monday:

• The council approved the property at 901 Howard St. to be capped for greenspace.
• The council approved the application for a SHPO-CLG grant in the amount of $50,000 for repairs to the Chapin Mansion roof and authorized the mayor, the city administrator or the finance director to sign any necessary documents.
• The council approved the purchase of a Bio Mass/Wood Exterior Boiler and related expenses not to exceed $29,000 to be charged to the Building Repairs-Street Department Fund.