The eastern city limits of Youngstown are about 2 miles from the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.
But just before the Mahoning River flows into the Keystone State, the valley narrows dramatically at the village of Lowellville Ohio, a community of about 1,300 residents.
And thanks to the people of Lowellville, the Youngstown region celebrates one of it's most unique traditions:
the annual baby doll dance
Held at 11pm [note: I've seen 10:30pm on another site] on wednesday, thursday and friday of this week, the band plays music and the figure inside the costume dances around - but with fireworks attached to the outfit. (photos courtesy of this flickr account)
The baby doll dance is the culmination of the festivities already filled with good food and music, held just south of Carcheddi's and the river at the Mount Carmel Hall. (over the green bridge and just before you head up the uber-steep hill towards Poland)
At 11pm on Saturday is a fireworks show by Zambelli which is just an awesome experience cause the narrow valley makes it kinda like an echo chamber.
Italian music is playing Web to Saturday from 9pm to 11pm, along with a Mora Tournament, a Bocce Tournament, and wine tasting.
Here is the only video of the Baby Doll Dance I could find, this one from Aliquippa, PA.
two recent blogs at the valley24 site got me thinking the energy in this town is rising, and the subtle signs of "la fenice d'acciaio" is getting stronger:
Karen writes about the spontaneous tuesday concert and great turnout on her north side front porch concluding with the Chicago musician Lord of the Yum Yum. (video included)
"We had them start out in the living room to "contain" the noise as to not "disturb" the entire northside of Youngstown. The crowd gathered outside to mingle in the much roomier yardspace. Dozens of six packs arrived in the hands of old friends, curious neighbors and various Ytown band folk (of Posture Coach and Gil Mantera that I saw) all came to witness this wondrously strange combination of porch and performance."
Rob responds to an email from someone considering a move to the Valley"
"I like to think of this area as a blank slate. A frontier. Some amazing things are going on to revitalize the downtown area and I know many members of the LGBT community who are front and center. We could certainly use your help if you are up for it. It is a very exciting time."
"After college, most of my friends moved to New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles to join the thousands and thousands of big city performing artists competing for work. I made the choice to stay home and create my own opportunities...and I have never regretted that decision."
also, 360 people showed up for last night's outdoor free viewing of King Kong downtown.
free movies at 9pm every monday for several weeks. more details at the ytownevents.info website.
youngstown homes and long-term value: double the house for half the price
UPDATE: photo collection of north side homes in youngstown here.
UPDATE: interesting op-ed published today in the Business-Journal on the topic. The debate continues:
"... participation in the program by Niles, Warren and other government entities represents some of the worst public policy we’ve seen locally in years. And we’ve had an arena-side seat at some of the worst.
The Regional Chamber’s decision to accept a donation from the Cafaro Foundation to write another $250 check to eligible autoworkers also is bad policy. The chamber’s participation – and public trumpetting of the incentives – contradicts its mission to promote regional economic development by steering new residents to buy homes in Trumbull County but not in the other counties that the chamber also represents."
"Ultimately, however, the program smacks of unfairness – picking a select class of workers to benefit. Are the hundreds of workers a large employer might occasionally bring to this area more deserving than the employees – whether handfuls or dozens – added regularly by smaller businesses?"
Today it was announced financial incentives would be given to GM employees relocating into certain jurisdictions within one of the counties in the five-county Mahoning/Shenango Valley metro region.
Described here, the Eastwood Mall is giving $250 in cash to anyone moving into Trumbull County (other malls are in the non-trumbull counties), with another $250 from the Cafaro Corporation (who owns the eastwood mall). An additional $500 tax deduction could also be taken if the third-shift factory workers decide to live in either the cities of Warren or Niles.
So while this post won't delve into the larger philosophical argument of using financial incentives to pit jurisdiction against jurisdiction, I would also encourage any individual of family considering a move to the Mahoning Valley to check out the city of Youngstown as well.
While in six months you may have a couple hundred in your pocket, in Youngstown you could every often get double the home for half the price.
The Youngstown metro market is a simple case of economic supply and demand.
A region with a shrinking population = more chances to live in houses which in other markets would be ridiculously expensive.
I ride my bike though Youngstown's neighborhoods all the time and the quality and craftsmanship in these houses are unbelievable.
I know people who have lately moved into the city after relocating from other places in the U.S., and they are just amazed at the quality of houses (and the vibe of the neighborhood) which they are able to afford. Other cities did not provide the same opportunities.
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But, setting apart the material wealth of the city's housing stock, it's the people that really make neighborhoods valuable in addition to the homes.
For that additional reason, I choose Youngstown.
If you want to become a part of one of the beautiful neighborhoods in the city, then welcome in. Especially if you want to be a part of a passionate community who feels their better days are still ahead of them.
I can walk to the rose gardens in the city everyday. I can walk to campus and listen to jazz concerts. I can bike to the Chevy Center for events. I can walk to downtown and eat at the restaurants. I can stroll though our beloved and enormous Mill Creek Park every single day in the city, taking a different path each time:
So while a couple hundred bucks in the pocket would be nice, an ever sweeter deal is surrounding yourself with both physical beauty and good people. I choose Youngstown.
Buses full of people from Pittsburgh and Cleveland arrived at the next nexus of Downtown Youngstown, for the first ever meeting of the cleveland+pittsburgh+youngstown Regional Learning Network.
The day began with a welcome by representatives from all three cities, then onto John Austin's keynote address about "Leveraging the Assets and Confronting the Challenges of the Great Lakes Region".
One of the benefits of the meeting was the ability for individuals to interact with their counterparts from each region - bloggers met other bloggers, economic development professionals met other economic development professionals, and neighborhood leaders met other neighborhood leaders.
Right before lunch, a World Cafe took place to discuss the factors which make the mega-region unique.
Mayor Williams stopped by to chat for a while:
And after lunch, participants moved throughout the Youngstown Club to attend presentations on the following topics:
Data-Driven Decision Making
CDCs as Agents of Change
Addressing Vacancy
Economic Development Strategies
Designing Sustainable Communities
Networking and Blogging for Change
Here's an example of multiple design configurations possible when a vacant property exists between other properties.
To encourage collaboration between cities, mini-grants of up to $500 will be given out to encourage "learning exchanges" where people from one location will go and visit others to learn best practices and witness active programs.
To all who attended, thanks for making the trip to Youngstown. And a special thanks to our new friends who took the youngstown bloggers up on the offer to do a walking tour of the downtown.
Immediately after the celebration of Youngstown Tree Day, another event took place: the 2nd public planning meeting concerning the future of Wick Park.
Click here for a recap from the Youngstown Vindicator.
Between 50 to 60 people were at the meeting at Park Vista. (click here and here for a review of the first one and how this is the new standard)
The interim director of the city’s parks and recreation department discussed how even before the final design plan is determined, changes are taking place in the park bit by bit.
The water element/fountain in the park's southeast entrance will be repaired and functioning soon. And as pointed out in the newspaper story, the four corners of the park have been landscaped with flowers during the recent CityScape event.
A presentation by Jim McKnight, a landscape architect out of Cleveland, presented a quick walking tour highlighting possible design improvements including:
"making the front of the community center more defined for first-time visitors; spreading seating throughout; removing some unsightly barriers and guardrails; finding a more discreet location for trash bins; and redesigning a play area to make it easier for parents to supervise their youngsters." (vindy.com)
Two groups were then formed as the audience took turns drawing on maps and adding their suggestions.
Additionally, Wick Park will be the home to Youngstown's first ever "Grey to Green Festival" on September 13th, 2008.
Click on the next two images to read more information about the festival concept and sponsorship opportunities.
The goal of the Grey to Green Festival is to increase awareness of environmental issues in general, the grey-to-green concept in the Youngstown 2010 Plan, and the Wick Park revitalization effort that is currently underway.
The Grey to Green Festival organizing coalition includes The Green Team, Youngstown Litter Control, Defend Youngstown, CityScape, ReCreate, Treez Please, Grow Youngstown, First Book Mahoning Valley, the Oakland Center for the Arts, Green Energy TV, Art Youngstown, the Wick Park Revitalization Committee, The City of Youngstown’s Planning Department, Youngstown State University’s Environmental Studies Society, faculty and staff from YSU, as well as concerned citizens, block watches, and youth groups.
Throughout the park, there will be workshops, displays, demonstrations, musical entertainment, and food and “green” merchandise vendors.
The first day of summer also brings the celebration of Youngstown Tree Day.
This year's event officially recognized Youngstown's status as a Tree City USA, and also served as an introduction to the city's new tree population monitoring program.
The display below includes the proclamation by Mayor Williams for June 21st to be Youngstown Tree Day.
Let's take a close-up look at that cake. Nice work!
(note: by edict, cupcakes were limited to one per guest)
Speaking to the crowd in Wick Park was the Chief City Planner.
To signify its designation, the official "Tree City USA" flag was raised - to be flown continually in the skies above the North Side.
Next is an image of the PDAs which will be used to inventory the city's trees this summer, block by block, through the i-Tree program.
The survey sampling will be performed by the City of Youngstown's Forester, along with a team of community volunteers.
The inventory will be used to assess the costs and strategies for urban tree management, and their impact on the environment and property value improvement.
Check out the flag off of Park Avenue as you are exploring Wick Park.
Dr. Arden Bement, Director of the National Science Foundation - a federal agency with an annual budget of some $6 billion and change - was on campus in downtown youngstown Monday.
His first public visit of the day was a short speech in Moser Hall to about 40 industry, academic, and community leaders. The level of questioning in the room was excellent.
This was followed by a presentation to about 150 students, YSU faculty and staff by Dr. Bement, with words of encouragement to the researchers on campus by Rep. Tim Ryan.
Dr. Bement then walked though a poster session with undergraduate and graduate researchers.
And finally, the ribbon was cut on the new Analytical Materials Instrumentation Center at YSU - constructed with funds from the NSF.
UPDATE: Ohio's Third Frontier program just announced a $2.1 million grant to YSU to build the Center for Excellence in Advanced Materials Analyses.
Through a partnership with Youngstown-based Fireline TCON (in the Smoky-Hollow neighborhood) and the Ohio Supercomputer Center, the project will focus on the R&D and commercialization of products with increased resistance to thermal shock and lower thermal conductivity to improve liquid aluminum-resistant refractory materials for use during molten metal handling, melt treatment and castings.
We follow Penguins' hockey AND Cavaliers' basketball.
We drink Iron City AND Great Lakes.
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Youngstown is not just a place for the 700,000 people of the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys to enjoy, but our restaurants and traditions are available for all 7.5 million of yous/yinz.
and so, the Shout Youngstown blog is going to pick out a few choice events taking place this weekend in the next nexus of downtown youngstown - if by chance you are looking for something to do.
friday - Cle+Yo+Pitt Regional Learning Network conference - discuss best practices and approaches to neighborhood development, urban design, economic development, and blogging in the mega-region (10am - 4pm at the Club)
saturday - Soap Box Derby down 5th avenue (9am)
saturday - Youngstown Tree Day Celebration, including a demonstration of the i-tree urban inventory system by the Youngstown City Forester, Wick Park at Park and Pennsylvania Ave (9:30am)
saturday - Wick Park Revitalization Community Meeting #2 at Park Vista off 5th avenue (10am)
saturday - city pools open, party at North Side's new pool (12pm) saturday - furthermind all-day music festival at the B&O train station and urban camping (12pm to 2am)
sunday - yoga at fellows riverside gardens (9am, 12pm)
sunday - tour of western reserve wildflowers at fellows riverside gardens (2pm)
monday - presentation by the director of the federal NSF (yes, that $6 billion agency) at YSU's engineering building. must rsvp with jmsmith (at) ybi (dot) org. more info here.
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“We’re trying, as I like to say, to further everyone’s mind,” he said, “I want to bridge the gap and have Cleveland bands and Pittsburgh bands — make the Youngstown area a little bit bigger.”
This will be the first Furthermind Festival since 1999 and the first one for the Youngstown area. Though its focus will be mainly on the music, it will also serve as loving tribute to Quillan’s father, David Michael Murphy.
Quillan said his father became ill shortly after Vexfest IV in August and worsened in the coming months.
“One side of his body was shutting down, he couldn’t move his leg,” Quillan said, “In October, he needed a cane to walk and then he fell and broke his hip. He was in the hospital from October to December, when he passed away.”
While his father was in the hospital, Quillan said he wanted to have a giant celebration for when got better.
Having his father’s favorite local bands in mind, such as headliner Pennsylvania rock band Fourth River, Quillan began preparing for the event in November.
With his father’s death from the rare and highly fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a degenerative brain disorder, Quillan said this would be the event his father would want to go to.
“It’s a festival in honor of him and his love of independent music,” he said, “I’m Irish, so I think of this as a wake for him.”
It's been two weeks since most of the windows have been taken out of the Stambaugh Building.
and the forecast?
rain, rain, and more rain.
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A few audio files to listen to:
From last week, more discussion on the Dan Rivers' Show - especially about the opinions of those coming downtown for the sold-out Carrie Underwood concert at the Chevy Center.
Stambaugh talk begins 2/3 though the clip here. and continues for the rest of the hour here.
On Monday, Mr. Frangos himself had an interview on the radio. You can listen to his perspectives for 45 minutes here.
And also from Monday, Metro Monthly publisher Mark Peyko discusses the Stambaugh Building, pictures of Idora Park, and downtown walking tours here. (mark starts halfway though mp3 file)
Speaking of Metro's walking tours, pictures of the recent June event is here, and the next one has been announced for Thursday, July 17th at 7pm downtown.
and we conclude today with a very interesting article on the collective psychology of the Mahoning Valley from a clinical psychologist here.
Jess Adkins is happy and currently living in Youngstown, Ohio.
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In 1981, Jess was thrown off a hill and landed in Kentucky. In 1990, Jess learned how to dance like M.C. Hammer. In 2003, Jess begins carving while living in a hunting cabin. In 2008, Jess displays some of his work in a gallery downtown.
Readers of Shout Youngstown first saw a glimpse of Jess' work from a review of the Stage at the Oakland in November 2007.
More recently, a downtown gallery displayed Jess' woodcarvings of the characters he remembers from his neighborhood growing up on the south side of youngstown in Lansingville. In his words:
From a description by the artist:
"I am interested in learning more about our story, your story, and even my own story in the process of creating work.
In the neighborhood I am trying to recall all of those individuals who lived in my childhood neighborhood, only from memories and stories.
What dissolves over time or who are recalled act as mental landmarks for an ever-changing world. What remains and what fades away."
from the opening reception:
additionally, be on the lookout for Jess' next project, the life-sized (to be unveiled)
I've officially been deputized as a member of the Johnny Appleseed Garden Club.
It happened last Saturday at the annual streetscape event coordinated by the Youngstown Cityscape organization.
Now in its 11th year, over 500 people came together over the weekend to clean, mulch, and plant in designated locations throughout the city. Here's a pictorial review:
The central square was the main meeting point, with the gold flowers planted around the civil war momument celebrating the 50th anniversary of Fellows Riverside Gardens in Mill Creek Park.
The red and white flowers planted all throughout downtown commemorate the 100th anniversary of Youngstown University.
Here's some folks cleaning up the medians in front of Turning Technologies' new signage on their headquarters.
The ladies who deputized me were working at the foot of the Mr. Peanut bridge, near the site where John Young, James Hillman and Daniel Shehy was set to have met on June 27, 1796 at the time of the founding of Youngstown.
Here's the back of the t-shirt that was distributed to the volunteers:
and the front:
The trolley was shuttling people from the various points to the central square during the day.
Overall, 42 sites in the downtown, north side, and south side were visited by volunteers.
And finally, lunch was served with food donated with downtown merchants and others - including burgers served on Schewbel's bread, of course.
Finally, here are two videos of the entertainment while everyone was having their lunch.
Anyways, Saturday night will feature a chinese auction and reception at 7pm, followed by the multi-stage competition starting at 8pm to determine which one of these fab fems will take home the title.
more information about the event and how to get tickets here.
For those of you around the region and country catching up on the status of the Stambaugh Building through the blogs, here is the latest:
The Vindicatorreports tonight a tentative compromise deal was hashed out Friday afternoon at City Hall:
"Louis A. Frangos, co-owner of the Stambaugh Building, agreed to a city plan to repair window sashes so windows removed from the historic structure can be put back in place.
If the windows or sashes are damaged beyond repair, Frangos will install either Plexiglas or new glass windows."
"An assessment of the 531 windows on the upper 12 floors of the 13-story building will begin Monday."
An impressive three additional stories by the Business-Journal went up within 8 hours today, one here on tax problems in Cleveland and one here and one more here outlining additional details of Friday's meeting at City Hall:
"Mayor Williams said another meeting between Frangos and the city is scheduled for next Friday to iron out final details. “We are satisfied with the direction he’s heading,” the mayor said.
Demolition of the landmark building is not an option, the mayor stated. “In the interim, we’re looking at the securitization [security] and preservation of the building.”"
"My family helped plant flowers last weekend for the city’s StreetScape effort. The Stambaugh windows permeated the event. Physically — the fenced-off protection closed East Federal and limit access to parts of the plaza intended for work. Mentally — the gaping holes seemed to counter the mission of the day, which was to improve downtown.
At least three people — including a city councilman — asked me if The Vindicator was going to do something to fix “those windows.” It was humbling and rewarding, but also puzzling.
We’re not the city. We don’t have zoning powers the last I checked."
With another story from the Vindicator highlighting the recent Design and Review Committee Meeting here. (read the whole piece for more context)
"About 400 windows were removed from the building’s upper 12 floors. The 13-story structure has 531 windows, many of which are located inside the building next to where they used to hang, they said."
"City officials said Frangos’ companies violated a number of city laws and codes by doing the work without prior notification and approval.
Frangos said his plan is to board up the window frames with plywood and paint the wood. He also had considered putting plastic around the window frames."
It's been one week since the glass was dropped from near the top of the Stambaugh Building, crashing onto the street and sidewalk below.
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A new online petition has been set up, so anyone having interest in this subject can leave their name and a comment. It requests the city to create a Landmark Structure Ordinance that bestows landmark status on selected buildings in the Central Business District, and prohibits their demolition unless they become a public safety issue.
In other news, Wednesday afternoon the city's Design Review Committee denied the Frangos Group's request to replace the removed windows with plywood.
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Finally, this letter was presented to City Hall at 3:00pm Wednesday afternoon:
Recommended Action Plan to the City of Youngtown for Stambaugh Building Stabilization
Refrain from financially investing in the short, intermediate and long term stabilization plan as this responsibility falls solely on the Owners and not the taxpayers.
Concurrently with the Short and Intermediate Term plan, appoint an ad hoc committee to study and develop a Landmark Structure Ordinance in conjunction and in concert with City Officials.
Develop a timeline with milestone dates that define specific tasks and actions to be taken by the Owner on specific dates.
Develop a method of enforcement and subsequent penalties if timelines are not met or standards are not followed
General Procedures Required of Owner by City of Youngstown
Follow recommended procedures which are consistent with The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
Secure proper approvals and permits from government agencies and pay all fees associated with permits and approvals for any future work to the building
Pay any and all fines/court costs which have been assessed to date as a result of the Owner’s actions
Reimburse the City of Youngstown for fencing and pedestrian barricades erected on behalf of the Owner to guard public safety.
Assume all costs for above for the full length of time required by the City
Provide the City of Youngstown with a 24 hr emergency telephone number of a management service or individual who can respond to future similar issues.
Retire any delinquent tax claims and or liens prior to commencement of Action Plan
Owner’s Short Term Stabilization Tasks
Make necessary repairs to the existing building roofs to prevent water infiltration from above
Guard from harm, secure and maintain in collaboration with ODNR wildlife specialists, peregrine falcon chicks, adults and nesting box from removal or damage during stabilization operations
Preserve and conserve original window sash and components, which have not been discarded. Where practical retrieve same which have been stockpiled for disposal or have been place in construction dumpsters
Refrain from further demolition of existing windows which remain in place
Provide weather tight temporary enclosures on each and every window opening where windows have been removed. Construct enclosures from rigid transparent materials and in such a manner as to protect in place window components from deterioration and which shed water and repel wind from entering the building. Submit design to local authorities for review from a safety standard and to bodies, which regulate aesthetic issues of such temporary enclosure. Construct an in place mock up for examination and approval by governing bodies
Establish a time limit in consecutive calendar days that the temporary enclosures shall remain in place.
90 – 120 days is recommended
Schedule inspections while work is being performed and at the completion of the work on the temporary enclosures
Permit access to the building at all times to City Building inspectors to conduct an up close inspection of any temporary opening
For original windows which currently remain in place, repair, replace and or affix in place with positive mechanical fasteners
Before unseasonable weather arrives, heat each and every floor of the building to a minimum of 50 degrees to prevent freeze in to all fluid filled pipes and to prevent damage to plaster and wood finishes
Provide adequate heat from approved temporary devices in the event the central heating system of the building is decommissioned or inoperable
Owner’s Intermediate Term Stabilization Tasks
Require the Owner to present an intermediate stabilization plan which involves a historically appropriate restoration/replication or replacement window unit on the entire structure
Said unit shall be submitted to the SHPO for evaluation and appropriateness of the proposed method or unit
Require the Owner to utilize the historic sash which are suitable for reuse as a first priority remedy
Devise a plan which permits a continual phased retrofit of permanent and historically appropriate and establish timelines for the restoration and remedial work
A twelve consecutive calendar month time period is suggested
Establish milestone dates for completion of each floor
Schedule inspections while work is being performed and at the completion of the work on the window replacement/restoration
Permit access to the building at all times to City Building inspectors to conduct an up close inspection of any window
Heat each and every floor of the building to a minimum of 50 degrees to prevent freeze in to all fluid filled pipes and to prevent damage to plaster and wood finishes
Provide adequate heat from approved temporary devices in the event the central heating system of the building is decommissioned or inoperable
Owner’s Long Term Stabilization Tasks
After the successful completion of the Intermediate Stabilization, the Owner shall subject the structure to monthly inspections to assure the stabilization of the building has been maintained and shall perform in a timely manner any necessary repairs to maintain that stabilization.
The now windowless Stambaugh Building in downtown's central square was a topic of debate on talk radio (listen here and here) and various blogs throughout the day.
"Replacing the old Park Hotel, the Stambaugh Building [1906] started out its life as Euwers Department Store, one of the first Ohio department stores to have an in store restaurant. After the department store moved further up West Federal Street, the building was converted into an office building. Later becoming the first corporate headquarters for the Youngstown Sheet and Tube and Standard Slag."
A beautiful photo album of LadyNews500's photos of the Stambaugh Building can be found here.
A good post on the history of the building from The Youngstown Steel Heritage Preservation blog:
The building was designed by Albert Kahn, one of Detroit’s most important architects. It was designed in the Neo-Classical Revival style.
From the building's construction in 1906 until vacated by Youngstown Sheet and Tube in 1964, this building bore witness to the growth of what was to become the Nation's third largest steelmaker.
Meanwhile, just a block away in a similar skyscraper off of Market Street bridge was the corporate office of Republic Steel Corporation, also one of the largest steel companies in the US.
Republic moved to Cleveland in 1935, but in those years when both Republic and YS&T were both located in Youngstown, the decisions made in those two buildings shaped a good part of the development of America's steel industry."
Thanks to Jim's tireless efforts through the CleveBurgh Diaspora blog:
"St. Louis and Buffalo can echo this tragedy. This story is a dime a dozen in the Postindustrial Heartland. What I am asking is that the like-minded come together to save one building in the center of Youngstown.
There are many other architectural wonders we can reclaim throughout our mega-region, but let's make the Stambaugh Building the first collaborative effort. Then, let us make the Stambaugh Building the center of the economic revitalization of the Rust Belt."
From the Reason blog at the Youngstown Vindicator's website:
"Imagine that you're Kelly Pavlik's trainer. In the big fight, between rounds, he's got a hangnail. What do you do to ensure his safety? You'd cut off his hand, right?
This is essentially the argument made by the Frangos Group in the removal of at least one hundred windows from the historic, century-old Stambaugh building, leaving it exposed to the elements."
"The group released a letter this morning addressed to Mayor Jay Williams that recommends the city explore forming a task force composed of business leaders, citizens and city officials to study the creation of a landmark structure ordinance.
“We have a concern about all landmark properties, such as the Stambaugh Building, the Paramount Theater and the Kress Building,” said Ronald Faniro, an architect and member of the new group.
A landmark structure ordinance would identify those buildings deemed “landmark” and create a code of high maintenance and preservation standards, he explained."
And a great post by Brookeback Mountains at the Stage at the Oakland blog:
"As Youngstown enjoys the beginning of a rennaisance, we should be looking for potential businesses to occupy these building with businesses, restaurants, offices....new economy-generating ventures. Instead, the most beautiful buildings in town are owned by the same group, and all of them are merely for rent or occupied with a distant promise of future housing...and even then, they remain vacant and untouched for years with rumors floating and multiplying.
We don't need more rumors in Youngstown. We need facts and positive action.
[The Stambaugh Building] is also the site of Party on the Plaza, a flourishing event that draws huge crowds every weekend, showcases talented local musicians, and donates profit to local charities."
full text of letter to City Hall re: Stambaugh Building
The Honorable Jay Williams City of Youngstown 26 N. Phelps St. Youngstown, OH 44503
Mayor Williams:
This writing comes in the wake of the news stories of the window removal at the Stambaugh Building. It seems the City of Youngstown has this issue well at hand and is acting responsibly and has swiftly instituted mechanisms to prevent a recurrence and guard public safety. As citizens, our concerns extend beyond those of public safety.
The Central Business District of Youngstown is defined by its Central Square. The Stambaugh Building, Realty Building, First National Bank Tower, Huntington Bank Tower, Civil War Memorial and Chase Bank Tower define the Central Square. All of these buildings chronicle the development of Youngstown in the era of its transition from a small Ohio community into a bustling metropolis. All of these structures carry pedigrees, which elevate these buildings to a landmark status.
The aforementioned structures share many things in common. All are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and will receive National Register of Historic Places markers later this summer. CityScape is finalizing the text of these markers, which are funded through a grant by the Ohio Historical Society. All are the earliest local examples of the phenomenon know as the “skyscraper”. Many of these landmarks are benefactors of responsible stewardship. With the exception of The Huntington Bank Tower, the same owners of the Stambaugh Building own all the landmark buildings on Central Square. Little known is the fact that these same owners are the custodians of three additional National Register Listed structures in the immediate downtown. The Wick Building, Erie Terminal and Liberty/Paramount Theater are among the portfolio of holdings of this company.
Recently, it was learned that the Liberty/Paramount Theater is doomed to the wrecking ball. Neither a plan to save the façade nor a credible re-development plan for that site exists. The owner has been quoted by the press as saying the Stambaugh Building is “a lost cause.” Such a statement casts a long shadow of doubt on the actual motive of the recent activities at the Stambaugh Building. It appears to these authors that removing the windows in their entirety from this structure and replacing them with plastic film sets the stage for slow motion decay, leading to calls of blight and eventual demolition. We certainly hope this is not the case. We are alarmed at the uncertain fate of all of these building and the indifference shown by the players in the real life Monopoly game that is occurring in our downtown.
We fear the Stambaugh Building incident is becoming the norm rather than the exception for property owners who elect to do nothing with their structures. It is irresponsible stewardship of our historic properties that has caused the demolition of many of those in the past and the real possibility of many in the future falling unless checked. Two major historic properties along West Federal Street, which are not owned by the Stambaugh Building owners, come to mind as potential future demolition candidates due to poor stewardship. This speaks to issues beyond the Stambaugh Building and frames them as a Downtown issue.
It is now time in the history of our City, as it re-defines itself, to balance the progress of new construction with the value of the historic built environment. We encourage the City of Youngstown to hold the Stambaugh Building owner to a high standard when remedying this matter.
In the immediate future, the building must be made weather tight in such a manner as to prevent any damage occurring while in limbo. Any boarding up or temporary methods used to achieve this should also come with limits on the period of time the temporary measures may remain in place. We suggest weeks rather than months be the unit of measure between the stabilization and remedial phases. In the near future, we see nothing short of a full historically accurate window restoration/replication/replacement being required of the owner. We envision this to occur or be in its completion phases well before the Winter of 2008 is upon us. We will not buy into excuses of the costly nature of the suggested remedy as the owners have spent millions in acquiring other properties in our downtown without the proper due diligence being performed to their existing properties.
Concurrent with the above activities we call on the City to assemble a Task Force comprised of business leaders, citizens and City officials to study and create a Landmark Structure Ordinance that bestows landmark status on selected buildings in the Central Business District, prohibits their demolition unless they become a public safety issue due to catastrophic fire or storm damage and tie to those structures a set of maintenance standards which are above the minimum standards set forth in the International Building Maintenance Code. Such an ordinance will guard our historic properties and assure their proper maintenance regardless of the owner.
Finally, the activities have had serious impact on many other aspects of our community. CityScape was forced to abandon parts of their beautification efforts this past Saturday leaving many volunteers without assignment and tainting a positive and productive yearly event. The only national chain operating in downtown was forced to close and remain closed until the City responsibly erected barricades to guard their patrons from future peril. This type of incident could jeopardize this chain’s presence in downtown if left unresolved for an undefined period of time.
We are certain you share in many of the concerns of this group and our hope is for the City to rise to action with this owner, future owners and any landholder who shows indifference in maintaining their properties.
