An important strategy for reviving downtown Youngstown must include the establishment of apartments for the income levels of people who typically work downtown. I assume that most of the citizens currently living downtown are in subsidized units. How many people above the poverty level actually live downtown?
There are about 1,000 people living in or near downtown Youngstown. The median household income is only $6,758.
The Salvation Army Building could be converted into apartments and other uses. Converting warehouses into apartments has taken place in many other cities. Why can't it also happen in Youngstown.
Additionally, the Wick Building, Realty Building, and Stambaugh Building should accelerate their apartment developments.
A short term goal should be 1,000 units. This would more than double the population of downtown Youngstown.
Quote from: jay on March 31, 2006, 06:22:02 AM
The Salvation Army Building could be converted into apartments and other uses. Converting warehouses into apartments has taken place in many other cities. Why can't it also happen in Youngstown.
Additionally, the Wick Building, Realty Building, and Stambaugh Building should accelerate their apartment developments.
A short term goal should be 1,000 units. This would more than double the population of downtown Youngstown.
No. Because no one has come forward to buy it.. That simple.
We also don't need to increase the population of downtown....It's stupid. Its always been the business center, never a housing center. Let the Wick and Reality Buildings go on with what they want. Never has the Stambaugh Building said they'd turn their offices into apartments, and you can check on that.
"We also don't need to increase the population of downtown....It's stupid"
wow. I have to admit I really disagree with this statement. On two fronts.
(1) we need more people downtown, and not just as a parking lot on the weekend for certain events. Businesses downtown will do much better if there is a constant population with a disposable income to buy things if they live downtown. btw, there was a good story in NPR this morning about syracuse successfully placing a grocery store in their downtown. (a town similar to Youngstown)
(2) how is a conversation improved by calling something "stupid". That's dems17.org talk. We're better than that here.
Is it any more stupid than the statement "people should fly out of the youngstown airport"?
"We also don't need to increase the population of downtown....It's stupid"
I cannot believe you said the above statement. You want people to live downtown to make it more vibrant just like Janko said. Maybe the way your wording came out was not really what you meant. However, if you meant what you said, can you explain your reasoning?
I agree with Jay and Penguin Nick.
One of the things that attracts people to the downtown area of any city is.....other people!
No one wants to hang out in a downtown that is empty and deserted. Having a larger
residential neighborhood downtown would also help the businesses that are located there
by providing them with more "regular" customers.
The fact that some on this board disagree with this idea does NOT make it a "stupid" idea.
Allan
:)
We need more wage earners living in and near downtown Youngstown. If we were to have a substantial increase in the population of downtown, we would soon see the establishment of stores which typically cater to a residential area. Grocery stores, drug stores, dry cleaners, barbers, and other businesses would spring up.
The downtown Youngstown area must become a neighborhood again.
I'm surprised that there is not yet a Starbucks, a restaurant or other coffee house
really close to the Chevrolet [Convocation] Center. I think the center is bringing in
enough events, etc. so far to support another restaurant or coffee shop - the trick
is to be the closest one to the center to catch people coming and going.
When there are no events at the Chevrolet Center, it could probably get some business
from downtown and the university.
Give it time. If the slow growth continues, the businesses will come--especially if the Wick and Stambaugh buildings get their apartments and the Smoky Hollow redevelopment begins to pick up steam.
I would be really suprised if there is anything happening at the Stambaugh Building. The owner (Jeff Moffie) filed for bankruptcy and I believe that I read in the paper that he is now in prison for bank fraud.
Well, if the owner of the Stambaugh Building has a defaulted mortgage, the bank(s) will
eventually forecluse on the building, freeing it up for a new owner to come in and take
over.
youngstown is nothing but a pile of doo-doo
Very intelligent opinion!
I made a mistake anyway--it's the Realty Building, not the Stambaugh.
Some people are just obsessed with the Stambaugh building while better buildings in downtown sit vacant. Last time I looked there wasn't much partking around that building and unless you want to make it into low income housing the tenants are going to need parking spaces. And don't give me that BS about "we must learn to live green and not have so many cars and use mass transit". Thats utopia and not reality. Middle and upper income hosuing needs plenty of parking. Period.
Isn't there a parking deck attached the the building on Champion St?
Isn't there a parking lot on the north side of the building on Commerce?
When was the last time you looked around that building?
I was referring to parking at the Salvation Army building, not Stambauch. Stambaugh would be ideal for condos.
8) I WOULD LIVE DOWNTOWN. I WORK ON THE SOUTHSIDE AND LIVE ON THE WESTSIDE. I TAKE THE BUS DAILY AND IT WOULD BE A CONVIENCE FOR ME. I THINK THAT TO MAKE THE DOWNTOWN WHAT IT USED TO BE YOU NEED PEOPLE. MY HUSBAND AND I GO DOWNTOWN ALOT. I HOPE THAT IF HOUSING BECOMES AVAILABLE THAT THE LITTLE THUGS FROM THE SOUTHSIIDE DON'T TRY AND TAKE IT OVER.
8) I DID NOT READ THE RESPONSE FROM THE GENTLEMAN ABOUT MAKING THE HOUSING LOW INCOME (BECAUSE THEY WON'T NEED PARKING) ALOT OF LOW INCOME PEOPLE HAVE CARS AND WILL NEED PARKING BUT I FEEL THAT WILL FOLLOW IF THE HOUSING BECOMES AVAILABLE AS FAR AS UPPER CLASS PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN (MAYBE WE WOULD NOT WANT THAT) BECAUSE IT IS THE LOWER / MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP YOUNGSTOWN AT THIS POINT BUT REGARDLESS WE ALL PAY TAXES IN THIS AREA WE ARE ALL EQUAL!!
Bonnie - not to jump on you, but can you please use periods in your sentences so we can more easily understand what you are saying. I don't understand your statement - why would you not want upper-class people living downtown?
Not to put words in her mouth, but she's probably afraid of gentrification. The Mahoning Valley--including much of Youngstown--is horrendously segregated both by race and by socioeconomic status, but the strongest neighborhoods have always been those with a mix of incomes. Take a look at Shaker Heights, Ohio--it is home to a rich mix of races, creeds, and income levels, and it is thriving. The strongest downtown Youngstown will also be one that has housing opportunities for everyone from a recipient of public assistance to a doctor or lawyer.