Photo of the new Federal Plaza East

[kitten44505]

I'm not certain, but the Stambaugh Building is empty, and could be converted to apartments. I also understand that the Realty Building may be converted to condos. Those are the only two buildings that are available. There will be one floor of the Wells building turned into apartments, but with most of the buildings on the South Side of Federal between Philps and Hazel to be demolished for the new Court of Appeals building, there isn't much else that would be available.

[AllanY2525]

I agree with Jay about creating some residential space
in the downtown area.  With the new Convocation Center
coming this fall, I am sure that stores and shops
will come to the downtown area  - Like a Starbuck's
Coffee shop, some restaurants, etc.

With the Wick-Pollock in being reopened in the near
future, there will be someplace for people to stay
in the downtown area when there are public events at
the Convocation center.

My idea for downtown apartments would be to convert
a few floors in some of the existing high rise
buildings to apartment homes.  They could put in
"express elevators" for the apartments that only go from
street level to the floors which are occupied by the
apartments.  A separate lobby could be created for
the apartments on the ground floor, maybe?

It would be a lot less expensive to create these
living units in an existing high rise than to build
a new building from the ground up - and it would fill
up some of the empty space in the downtown buildings
and generate some tax revenues for the city.

[jay]

As long as downtown Youngstown remains a 9-5 economy, you will never see much retail.  What the city needs, and is not adequately addressed in 2010, is the creation of a downtown neighborhood.  What I'm calling for is a massive effort to get the working middle-class and high income earners to live downtown.  I would encourage the creation of upscale apartments but rent them at a very reasonable rate.  The aim is to populate the downtown with people who have money to spend, appreciate the arts, and who dine out often.  Once these people live in and near the downtown, the retail stores will follow and the center city will thrive.

[Smokey362]

I don't know what the answer is.  There has GOT to be something to draw people into the downtown area.  Strouss' and McKelvey's are gone forever and I really wish that wasn't true.  If only some major department store would consider coming to the Downtown Youngstown sites and open for business.
  Downtown Youngstown is becoming beautiful, but it needs some stores to draw people to come back down there to shop....what's the answer?

[Ed Brainard]

Nice picture, but please take note,  there are NO cars there, no people walking around.  It's a great picture though.

[solomia]

I was downtown today and do commend on  easy parking. I had to go to the Metropolitan Towers and had no problem parking.

Thank You

[jay]

Pictured below is a recent photo of the reconstructed Federal Plaza East.  Notice the new diagonal parking and only one lane of traffic in each direction.