Salvation Army Building Finally Boarded Up

[northside lurker]

I talked with the architect this morning.  WRTA isn't demolishing this building as some sort of favor to the city.  They want to extend their parking lot into this area, and move the bus entrance in line with Hogue street with the possibility that the city will put a light at that intersection so the buses can get out more easily.

Development of apartments in this building probably wouldn't have worked that well because of location.  The B&O and Anthony's would certainly have been great assets.  But, overall, the building is isolated from the rest of downtown.  It's also next door to operating railroad tracks.  If I were going to chose to live downtown, and my choices were between this building, and one in the central business district, I wouldn't chose to live in the Salvation Army building.

[Micky]

All things considered, the Salvation Army building could have been one of many projects that could have turned the downtown area around.  In Pittsburgh now, they are putting new facades on old buildings like this one, making shops on the bottom 2 floors, and turning the upper floors into apartments.  With restaraunts like the B & O, Anthony's on the River, and others downtown, who knows what other stores or vendors would have located in that area.  Youngstown's 2010 plan wants a bike/hiking trail near that area.  I wish our city would try different avenues instead of wanting to tear down everything in sight. 

[ytowner]

On Monday, I noticed that a worker was using plywood to board up the first floor doors and windows of the Salvation Army Building on lower Mahoning Avenue.  It's too bad that two rapes had to take place in the building before it was secured.  The building should have been boarded up three years ago when vandals started to remove the windows and strip anything salvageable from the interior.  The lack of an aggressive building security strategy has lead to the stripping and ultimate demolition of too many of Youngstown's buildings.

WRONG.
It should've been demolished 3 years ago! It's the biggest eyesore on 680 and makes the downtown area look BAD!

[our2cents]

I'd bet the board up is more of a CYA by someone at WRTA.  They are listed as the property owner on the auditor's site.  With 2 rapes in the building already, if you have anything to do with the building, I'm sure you would want to show that you took some sort of action to shift any future blame.  And now days, I'm sure someone will start looking for an attorney to take it on.

[northside lurker]

It occurred to me this morning that maybe they found a large amount of fryable asbestos, and want to keep any more people out until it's abated.

The building will be gone soon.  They just have to remove the asbestos first.

[Micky]

Just a bandaid!  At least someone's trying to do something.  If you look at most of the businesses and houses that have been boarded up, the boards have been removed or smashed in. 

[jay]

It will probably take a few more days to completely board up the openings on the first floor.

[jay]

On Monday, I noticed that a worker was using plywood to board up the first floor doors and windows of the Salvation Army Building on lower Mahoning Avenue.  It's too bad that two rapes had to take place in the building before it was secured.  The building should have been boarded up three years ago when vandals started to remove the windows and strip anything salvageable from the interior.  The lack of an aggressive building security strategy has led to the stripping and ultimate demolition of too many of Youngstown's buildings.