Santisi's Foods - downtown youngstown's supermarket?

I've heard many say downtown really needs a good supermarket.

Well, after going to the walk-in space at Santisi's Wholesale Foods for the first time, I can say with confidence that downtown has a place that may fit a large portion of your weekly shopping needs.

Located over the red Mr. Peanut Bridge in the Mahoning Commons (across the street from the Calvin Center Idea Incubator), Santisi's offers a full deli, fresh vegetables, eggs, butter, frozen foods, pasta, sauces, homemade dried sausage, imported european goods, and a plethora of cheese options.

check out the photos:







Nutella and McCann's Irish Oatmeal!

Well, there's about half of my diet right there on one shelf.






I saw beet-pickled eggs, I saw pierogi, I saw mozzarella balls in liquid, I saw olive oils and balsamic vinegars and tomato sauces of all variety and sauces.






If this place had juice and bread, I really think I could do 100% of my grocery shopping there. I was quite surprised with the variety.


Please note northsiders and those working downtown, you do have additional options in life compared to shopping in the suburbs.

It's definitely sad the Union Plaza Sparkle recent closed, but at first glance Santisi's provides the options for you to not go to Wal-Mart for every one of your needs, and not go to the far, far away expensive Eagle which shall not be named.

Santisi's offers shoppers the chance to stop in for lunch, and walk away with a piece of homemade sausage, a wedge of cheese, and a drink - or for shoppers to support local businesses with their grocery needs.

Their signs say open till 6pm on the weekdays, till 2pm on Saturdays.

Remember to shop local, and keep the money in our community.

how gardens stitch together neighborhoods

Youngstown as urban laboratory for the nation...



Youngstown's gardening diaspora returning...



...and he loves broccoli.

new idora neighborhood mural to be unveiled Tuesday

The Idora Neighborhood Association has teamed with Art Youngstown to create a mural on the side of an abandoned Sparkle grocery store on Glenwood Avenue.

Work on the mural commenced on Saturday,
was completed on Sunday,
and will be formally unveiled Tuesday.


some pictures of the work in progress:






Many in the community will join together at 7pm Tuesday to celebrate the project, located at 2410 Glenwood Avenue.






The Idora Neighborhood Association meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 6pm.





the finished product!

structural steel going up for WATTS training site

another building going up on the YSU campus!

live video can always be accessed here.

And the skeleton of the Watson and Tressel Training Site (WATTS) going up:







what the final product will look like:


speaking of construction, one more new video celebrating the ribbon-cutting of the new Williamson College of Business Administration:

veggie bingo review

review straight outta Chicago:

part one - the buildup
part two - the event

Materials Science PhD announced today by YSU

"a new era"



big news today downtown:
YSU will soon be offering research-based PhDs in Materials Science

from a planning document found at the website of the Ohio Board of Regents:

"Approximately 23 faculty, staff and researchers associated with the YSU Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Engineering will contribute to the proposed Ph.D. program. The expertise of YSU’s current faculty covers the four main components of materials science and engineering, i.e., structure, processing, properties and performance/application. YSU is in the process of hiring four new faculty members in strategic areas to support the proposed program.

The research facilities are adequate for the proposed degree. The faculty has demonstrated its ability to attract external funding to support doctoral students, and the School of Graduate Studies and Research is well poised to provide basic grants-management services for the university."

additionally from a consultant:

"In the proposal for the new degree, YSU has carefully considered how the new degree will distinguish itself from and complement the other materials-related programs in Northeast Ohio.

YSU acknowledges the unique strengths of three research intensive universities with materials-related programs: Case Western Reserve University, The University of Akron and Kent State University.

Two distinguishing factors of the proposed YSU program are (1) a focus on industrial and manufacturing problems as opposed to more fundamental research and (2) a primary emphasis on hard materials (ceramics and metals) as opposed to polymers."

And from the Office of the Chancellor:

"The proposed program also builds upon a series of research milestones achieved by the university and the YSU College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics over the past several months, including the creation of the YSU Center for Transportation and Materials Engineering, the opening of the new YSU Center for Advanced Materials, the creation of the
Center for Efficiency in Sustainable Energy Systems, and record-setting levels of external research funding. "

the textures and patterns within the new williamson school of business

Today the ribbon was cut at the outstanding new building for the Williamson College of Business Administration.


This LEED-certified structure is located between YSU and the downtown - effectively connecting the two districts previously separated by two blocks of quasi-industrial space.

The building helps to cement the reality of the downtown and university as a single united locus - filled with talent, arts, technology and business.

Here are a few pictures of the colors and textures within the building:
















a video of the interior:



more views from the inside - and make sure to check out the sight lines and views to downtown from the building.











some added design features:

a shower in the building for after you commute to work on your bike.

(or for after you've stood outside under the summer sun during a ribbon counting)





The water pressure was pretty good, but the temperature was a little cold for my tastes.

- - -

another design feature:

the sweeping views of downtown from multiple conference rooms and public space in the building:


Hopefully the utility poles will be able to be buried in the future for unobstructed views.





One final neat thing noticed:

During today's ceremonies, an impressive Youngstown State backdrop was behind the podium:


But if you look closely, the background is actually a huge sticker...fabricated to match the speckled stone and mortar designs that one finds throughout the entire exterior.



Overall, the $36 million dollar building is a fine addition to campus.

One any penguin can be proud of.