City Buys Paramount

[Towntalk]

I give up ... give the property to the first arts group to step forward and provide them with all the funds needed to not only save the front wall but build an ampatheater behind that wall, and make it tax free in perpatruity, and make you the executive director. Oh yes in the turnover, make it an outright gift free of all pay back.

[northside lurker]

If you ever explored my Webshots site you'll see many of the truly beautiful buildings that use to make up downtown Youngstown. Today they are nothing more than memories, and not only were they beautiful but they were designed by nationally known architects.

As to parking lots ... I believethat the city said that if some group came up with a new use for the lot post demolition that they would give it serious consideration.

Where are the groups that are prepared to step forward with a funded new use plan? Can you name one group that has the finances to build something new there?

Many of the buildings that are there now, were designed by nationally known architects.
- The Wick and Federal Buildings were designed by Daniel Burnham.
- The Mahoning Nat'l Bank and Stambaugh Buildings were designed by Albert Kahn.
- The College of Ed. Building on YSU's campus was designed by Perkins and Will.
- The US Bankruptcy Court at the corner of Commerce and Wick was designed by Robert AM Stern.
- The Museum of Labor and Industry was designed by Michael Graves.
- Even the Paramount Theater was designed by C. Howard Crane.

I was told that the city has to use the land for a parking lot to serve customers paying their water bills because water dept funds will be used to purchase and demolish the building.

There is a group that wants to save the facade and use it, and the site as a cultural center for Youngstown.  They had a meeting about three weeks ago, but I haven't heard anything from them recently.

[ytowner]

Downtown will be held back until this building is demolished. Put a park there or a parking lot, just not that eyesore!

[Towntalk]

If you ever explored my Webshots site you'll see many of the truly beautiful buildings that use to make up downtown Youngstown. Today they are nothing more than memories, and not only were they beautiful but they were designed by nationally known architects.

As to parking lots ... I believethat the city said that if some group came up with a new use for the lot post demolition that they would give it serious consideration.

Where are the groups that are prepared to step forward with a funded new use plan? Can you name one group that has the finances to build something new there?

[northside lurker]

Where was I?  Based on the quick research I've just done on Richard Blackwell, he seemed to be active in the mid 80's.  So, I was probably living about 70 miles SW of Youngstown, and in elementary school.

Besides the disrepair, what's not beautiful about the building?  I agree that it isn't really that architecturally significant.  But, when the supply of interesting downtown buildings becomes as small as it is in downtown Youngstown, you have to try to save all you can, or risk losing the character that makes downtown special in the first place.

Let's look at this long term.  If the whole building is demolished, given the history of development in the city, how long would we have to look at ANOTHER soul-sucking parking lot, until something new is built?  And, how likely is it that that new structure will have any visual appeal?  Even though we can't save the whole building, we still have the opportunity to be creative and have something to be proud of in the future.

[Towntalk]

Westsider, no one loves the history of Youngstown more than myself but we are never going to agree on saving the shell of the Paramount just because it's old. The building has no history behind it, it's certainly not beautiful except in the eyes of a very small handful of people who can't afford to save it but expect others to foot the bill so that they can go by and swoon over it.

Where were you when there was an opportunity to save it. Richard Blackwell could have used your help.

[northside lurker]

You're absolutely right about Blackwell spreading himself too thin, as well as the lack of serious commitment on the part of the arts crowd. Just look at all the ideas that have come up, but none of the people who made the suggestions have committed either time or money. They want, but they don't want to give.

I knew Richard back then, and more often than not he was trying to do the work single handed. It was an impossable task even then. The last time someone rolled into town saying that they wanted to save the theater one of the TV stations interviewed Richard who by the way knows more about the condition of the building than anyone here including myself, and he said that the building couldn't be saved.

Semantics are rather important here.  I can certainly understand that the interior can't be saved.  But I don't understand why the building can't be saved.

[Towntalk]

You're absolutely right about Blackwell spreading himself too thin, as well as the lack of serious commitment on the part of the arts crowd. Just look at all the ideas that have come up, but none of the people who made the suggestions have committed either time or money. They want, but they don't want to give.

I knew Richard back then, and more often than not he was trying to do the work single handed. It was an impossable task even then. The last time someone rolled into town saying that they wanted to save the theater one of the TV stations interviewed Richard who by the way knows more about the condition of the building than anyone here including myself, and he said that the building couldn't be saved.

[Rick Rowlands]

Thank you for the compliment!

Big projects are possible to accomplish, but to do so you must throw yourself completely into the effort.  I have seen non profit boards wrangle about finding a few hundred bucks to pay for a needed item, when most of the board members have the financial wherewithal to pull that much cash from their wallets and plunk it down to pay for the item.  I think that many non profit board members do not realize that by being a board member a financial commitment is part of the deal. 

I wish I knew a bit more about Rich Blackwell's work at Paramount, and why it did not succeed.  Compared to what I have built, securing Paramount and preventing further decay is simplicity itself. But wasn't he also trying to save the Jeannette furnace and Idora Park at the same time? Probably spread himself too thin.

That is why you don't see me at many downtown events, Streetscape, cleanup parties etc.  I know that I have a huge project on my hands, and if I were to get involved with more projects I would quickly become ineffectual with all of them. Steel industry history is my area of interest, and I throw everything I have into it with no time for anything else.

My success has led me to believe that ordinary people can do extraordinary things, if only they set their minds to it.  This is why I get upset at some people on this forum who constantly present problems but never put forth any effort to solve them.  They are not realizing their own potential.  At least Rich Blackwell and Bill Andrews tried to save the Paramount, and for that I have great respect.

[Towntalk]

And aside from cleaning up the building, he saw that the task was beyond he and his partner. The preservationists that were cheering him on did that and nothing more. Richard Mills bought the building from him and ran into the same problem.

Preserving any part of that building is a money pit Where are the arts people who are prepared to put up their own cash?

Rick, you are a shining example of what can be accomplished ... would that these modern day preservationists followed you great example.

[northside lurker]

And what's wrong with the East End?

I can't speak for Steve, but as I've said before, I think the east end is like a giant suburban office park.

[Rick Rowlands]

The preservationists did "walk the walk".  Rich Blackwell owned the building for a while, but even back then it was probably more than he could handle.

[Towntalk]

And what's wrong with the East End?

Answer this, the preservationist groups have had years to purchase the Paramount building, yet aside from all the talk, no a single penny was raised to purchase it. The preservationists expected others to invest their money, then look to the preservationists to dictate what would be done.

When the preservationists are prepared to walk the walk with their own cold hard cash and time instead of talking, then maby I would support them.

[iwasthere]

i am still shell shocked by council buying this bldg when it has tax liens against it. frango's should tear down his own bldg not the taxpayers of ytown. i would like to know where frango spent $200.000 on renovation of this bldg. he is nothing but a snakeoil salesman/carpetbagger and council bought this snakeoil salesman white elephant. i would like to do a brain scan on all council reps who voted for this ridiculous purchase. i would like to see an internal audit of the finance dept to see if dave bozonich is running this dept in the best interest of the ytown taxpayers.

[northside lurker]

City buys former theater

http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/jul/22/city-buys-former-theater/


I hope that when they finally get around to demolishing it that the whole building comes tumbling down ... front ... sides ... back ... top ... bottom leaving nothing.

IMO, that's highly unlikely, unless the demo contractor is directed to do so.