mesh

You'll see in many cities across the world a mesh appears when a construction project is going up in the center city.


Essentially, a very thin, painted or colored mesh is wrapped around the scaffolding surrounding a building.


I believe using this fabric is more of an ornamental choice than a necessary construction practice, but let's assume the technology to produce a mesh like this is both available locally and somewhat inexpensive.

- - -

In Youngstown during the last month, the Armed Services Building has been demolished.

So now we have a big gap (like a tooth missing) along Federal Street with no immediate plan to put any structure in the place of the vanished building. The continuity of the street is now disrupted, and a person will soon be able to look from our main street through the entire block (since other structures have been demolished to create parking lots) to Boardman Street without obstruction.



So what about this as a concept:

Build a simple two-story metal frame between the Wells Building and the facade of the State Theater, and then get a mesh (could recreate a piece of art, another building on its surface, etc) to recreate the feeling of a filled streetscape along the sidewalk.

on one hand, the mesh could be a really progressive and dramatic piece of artwork or faux-architectural masterpiece.

on the other hand, the mesh might only work well if it is actually covering up another building. If the mesh is covering empty space, or limiting access or visibility to a parking lot in the distance, maybe inhibiting vision by the public is not desired.

Jane Jacobs wrote about hidden (and sometimes unsafe) public passages in her LaDoGAC. As high-rise public housing projects were built in the 1940s onward in New York City, the public had access to internal hallways to get from the street to their apartments, essentially creating spaces where people did not feel safe. An internal public hallway is different than an external public sidewalk.

So what do you think of this as a concept to "fill the gaps" in a downtown?

What hand, the one or the other, makes more sense to you?

youngstown's polish brier hill

"I'd like some mathematics with my halusky."

- - -

Tucked into youngstown's Brier Hill - a neighborhood and home for multiple ethnicities over the generations - sits St. Casimir's Parish from 1907.

and it was rocking last weekend.

vodka, pierogies, topological spaces, dancing, pisanki, singing, data compression, wycinanki . . . this fest had it all.

but what I loved about this festival was blending of the new and the old - youngstown style.

- young kids learning how to color ornate eggs.
- information on cutting-edge mathematical research.
- handed down recipes of stuffed cabbage and kolachi.
- chinese auctions for baskets of polish food.
and open to all people from any ethnic heritage.

for a first glance, check out the parish grounds on Jefferson Street:














Also, there was some information about a few groups in town which I was not aware of:

The Polish Arts Club of Youngstown
next meets on October 12, 2008 from 1-4pm
and if you want to become a member costs $15 a year
which pays for meeting costs and their newsletter

The Krakowiaki Polish Folk Circle
meets every Thursday from 6pm to 8pm
at the YMCA in downtown youngstown
for those interested in Polish customs, language, and folk dance.

he guessed the book

regardless of how one will vote, this answer is impressive:



(notice how biden picks up the book in the background ... waaaahhh)

nice use of the term "metropolitan area".

dear media, please take notes for future references.

and Joe, become fluent in this concept for the vice-presidential debates...

might work for the presidential ones too...

new downtown farmers' market a big hit

every Tuesday for the rest of the summer (that is, till the end of September) in downtown youngstown's central square, there will be a farmers' market of fresh LOCAL produce from 3pm to 6pm.


Last week's event survived the "great deluge of 2008" as the sellers kept selling after a momentary, but powerful storm. (pictures from mahoningvalley.info here)


(note: all shots of produce are from locally grown and owned Ron's Greenhouse.)

In addition to the freshy fresh vegetables and fruits, attendees will be able to:
- purchase baked goods from local artisans
- register to vote
- pick up recipes
- learn of upcoming community events

The vendors of the downtown market even accept WIC coupons, enabling the Mahoning Valley's lower income families to purchase fresh produce and baked goods.

Also, because the extremely useful WRTA bus system exists, the people of the Mahoning Valley can use the buses to save gas and travel from neighborhoods in the city and first-ring suburbs to the downtown to shop.

Since the market runs until 6pm, all downtown workers can stop by on their way home and get some of the good stuff to enjoy later that evening.

The July 29th event this week will include a few comments by Mayor Jay Williams and the individuals who worked together to make this endeavor a reality.






The Tuesday markets join the already successful Saturday morning north side farmers' market, which is held on the eastern edge of Wick Park on the grounds of Youngstown's First Unitarian Universalist church from 9am to 12pm.

For more information on both the Tuesday and Saturday markets, contact Jim Converse at 330-518-6971

and you can continue to sign up for weekly free emails for all of these ongoing downtown events (like the free outdoor James Bond movie monday night and the no-cover downtown Italian Festival this weekend) found here, exclusively at ytownevents.info.

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?"

read more of their perspectives here.

- - -

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.

Stone. Brick. Stained Wood. Arches. Pillars.

Here are some photos from the neighborhoods of North Heights and 5th Avenue on the north side, Boulevard Park and Handel's on the south side, etc.



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.

- - -

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.

Thousands others choose Youngstown.

care to join us in our city?