People must live downtown

[Sharonite]

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.

[penguin nick]

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?   

[BONNIE]

  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]

  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.

[Rick Rowlands]

I was referring to parking at the Salvation Army building, not Stambauch.  Stambaugh would be ideal for condos. 

[Anon-E-Mouse]

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?

[Rick Rowlands]

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.

[Joette]

I made a mistake anyway--it's the Realty Building, not the Stambaugh.

[Joette]

Very intelligent opinion!

[frankie]

youngstown is nothing but a pile of doo-doo

[AllanY2525]

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.

[Shar]

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.

[Joette]

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.

[AllanY2525]

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.

[jay]

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.