Mahoning Valley Forum

Youngstown & The Mahoning Valley => West Side Youngstown => Topic started by: jay on November 17, 2012, 05:49:06 AM

Title: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: jay on November 17, 2012, 05:49:06 AM
The Wonder Bread Building may soon be available for another use.

Do you have any ideas for the reuse of this building?
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on November 17, 2012, 08:48:12 AM
Speaking of empty buildings on the West Side, what is the condition of the old Volunteers of America building that is located up the street from the Calvin Center, between Mahoning and Marshal Street?

As for the Wonder Bread building, couldn't it be recycled into something for the fine arts like the old Ward Bakery building?
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on November 17, 2012, 09:14:34 AM
In what year did Wonder Bread shut off its ovens at the Mahoning Ave. facility and started shipping in their products from other facilities? I do know that when I lived on Halls Heights back in the 1950's they were still baking there, and in the mornings when I was off to school, the smells of the freshly baked bread was there.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: iwasthere on November 17, 2012, 07:20:28 PM
have schweble's baking co. use it as the ws thrift store.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: northside lurker on November 18, 2012, 10:00:10 AM
Quote from: Towntalk on November 17, 2012, 08:48:12 AM
As for the Wonder Bread building, couldn't it be recycled into something for the fine arts like the old Ward Bakery building?

Maybe, but IMO, the 2 buildings aren't that comparable, as they sit now.  The Ward Bakery Building has lots of windows, and lots of original details throughout the building, like wood floors, subway tile, etc.  The Wonder Bread building has almost no windows, and, as a more modern building, doesn't have the unique character that the Ward Building has.  On the plus side, I would assume the Wonder Bread building has open spaces with high ceilings.  But I've never been inside to know for sure.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on November 18, 2012, 10:53:18 AM
The Wonder Bread building would be a perfect building for a business that does restoration of classic cars and or motorcycles except for the fact that it lacks outside parking space. Where did they park the delivery trucks that serviced the area grocery stores?
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on November 18, 2012, 01:26:59 PM
In what year was this built? When I lived on Halls Heights, the Day Old Store was in the basemant of the bakery?
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Rick Rowlands on November 18, 2012, 06:14:46 PM
Whatever you want to do with the building, please do it with private money. Don't go to government to fund your pet project.

Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on November 18, 2012, 06:29:23 PM
I couldn't agree more.

Consider this, The Cathedral is beautiful and not one penny of tax dollars were spent in building it. If churches can build beautiful structures with private funds, there is no reason why other groups can't do the same.

Mahoning United Methodist Church ... another example of beauty built with private funds.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: jay on November 18, 2012, 09:45:07 PM
Does the Garden District Neighborhood Association have any ideas for this property?  Will this topic be discussed at a future meeting?
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on November 18, 2012, 10:03:40 PM
Before we get too carried away with making plans for a building we don't own, remember that there has been no word about what Hostess will do with their buildings, but it's most likely that they will be put on the market, and there is a likelyhood that another bakery will buy it.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: jay on November 18, 2012, 10:16:43 PM
Unfortunate Youngstown Reality

If a building is left vacant, the criminals will strip it within a few days.  It's better to plan ahead and find a new use for the building ASAP.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on November 18, 2012, 11:36:42 PM
Reality or not, that building is under the control of the Bankruptcy Court, so there is absolutely nothing that we can do about it unless we want to find ourselves in a heap of trouble with the court.

Until the final decision is made, the building must be protected by Hostess and if anyone tampers with it in any way, thy will spend jail time.

I understand your concerns, but there is absolutely nothing we can do about it unless you can find some very deep pockets to make a bid for the property and even then the Judge hearing the case may not approve of the sale, for Hostess can not simply give the building away even to a worthy group since it is a part of their assets.

The Garden District should keep a lookout for the building and report any damage to the police, but until something more definate comes from the Bankruptcy Court or Hostess you folks on the West Side are just going to have to live with it
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: jay on November 19, 2012, 07:46:05 AM
QuoteWhere did they park the delivery trucks that serviced the area grocery stores?

I'm pretty sure the trucking operations were all contained within the building.  Large trucks brought the foods in from the bakeries.  The food items were stored inside and then transferred to the delivery trucks which were also stored in the building.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: northside lurker on November 19, 2012, 07:50:30 AM
Quote from: jay on November 18, 2012, 09:45:07 PM
Does the Garden District Neighborhood Association have any ideas for this property.  Will this topic be discussed at a future meeting?

These developments are probably too recent to have made the agenda for tomorrow's meeting, but it will probably be brought up.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on November 19, 2012, 01:18:18 PM
Most likely all the trucks and equipment will remain in the building until a final decision is made by the Bankruptcy Court or Hostess, and that means that the alarm system will be operational so that if anyone tries to break in or vandalize the building the police will respond so it's not just going to sit there unprotected. That in itself should alleviate any concerns that folks might have.

Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: jay on February 03, 2013, 09:20:33 AM
I suggest that the downtown call center should move to this location.  There is plenty of on site parking and  a large parking lot on the next block west.

The city would no longer have to subsidize bus transportation from the Convocation Center parking lot to 20 Federal Place.  (A Waste of Our Tax Money)

The 34-Steel, 35-Cornersburg and 40-Austintown WRTA buses stop in front of this location.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on February 03, 2013, 09:35:18 AM
Hostess Bakery Update

BANKRUPT HOSTESS TO HOLD FEBRUARY AUCTION

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-25/business/36557388_1_hostess-brands-bankrupt-hostess-grain-millers-international-union (http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-25/business/36557388_1_hostess-brands-bankrupt-hostess-grain-millers-international-union)


  "U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain approved bidding procedures at a hearing today in White Plains, New York. Drain also approved a 3 percent or $11.7 million breakup fee Flowers Foods Inc. will get if it isn't the winner. A March 5 hearing is scheduled to authorize the sale to the highest, or otherwise best bidder as determined by the court.

Flowers is offering to buy Wonder, Butternut, Home Pride, Merita and Nature's Pride brands, 20 bread plants, 38 depots and other assets for $360 million, which may be decreased to $355 million if certain license rights aren't included in the sale. Flowers also agreed to purchase the Beefsteak bread brand for $30 million."
   If this goes through Jay, your ideas are irrelivent.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: northside lurker on February 03, 2013, 09:40:49 AM
Quote from: Towntalk on February 03, 2013, 09:35:18 AM
Hostess Bakery Update

BANKRUPT HOSTESS TO HOLD FEBRUARY AUCTION

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-25/business/36557388_1_hostess-brands-bankrupt-hostess-grain-millers-international-union (http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-25/business/36557388_1_hostess-brands-bankrupt-hostess-grain-millers-international-union)


  "U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain approved bidding procedures at a hearing today in White Plains, New York. Drain also approved a 3 percent or $11.7 million breakup fee Flowers Foods Inc. will get if it isn't the winner. A March 5 hearing is scheduled to authorize the sale to the highest, or otherwise best bidder as determined by the court.

Flowers is offering to buy Wonder, Butternut, Home Pride, Merita and Nature's Pride brands, 20 bread plants, 38 depots and other assets for $360 million, which may be decreased to $355 million if certain license rights aren't included in the sale. Flowers also agreed to purchase the Beefsteak bread brand for $30 million."
   If this goes through Jay, your ideas are irrelivent.

You're sure that the west side Wonder Bread Building is one of those 38 depots?
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on February 03, 2013, 10:12:45 AM
I don't have privy knowledge about that, but if you wish to get exact precise official info, you might search out the U.S. Bankruptcy Court website for the district that the hearings are taking place for more exact info it's all public record. My fees for doing research are $50.00 an hour
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: iwasthere on February 05, 2013, 11:17:59 AM
i heard from a reliable source that schwebel's baking co is interested in buying the hostess brand line from the wonder brd co.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: jay on April 22, 2014, 09:47:38 PM
The building has been sold.
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: iwasthere on April 22, 2014, 11:15:02 PM
To whom?
Title: Re: Need Ideas For The Wonder Bread Building
Post by: Towntalk on July 22, 2014, 05:09:56 PM
Anything new on this?