Are There Too Many Parking Spaces?

[iwasthere]

annie gilliam is the council rep for the downtown.  is gilliam meeting with frango to see if he is still on task with his business plans for the bldgs that he owners in the downtown. frango must still be reliable for the paramount even if his business partner is in jail. the general public must keep pressure on frango to see he lives up to all of his empty promises for the historical downtown bldgs.

[Towntalk]

Strange.

I'm suprised that someone hasn't busted into them.

[Rick Rowlands]

On a related parking issue, why doesn't USA Parking put in new coin boxes for their lots?  THe boxes are rusted out, and many have coins jammed into the slots so its impossible to put any money in.  I think out of the last three times I've parked in one of their lots I paid only once, the other two times the slots were jammed with money. 

[Towntalk]

You hit the nail right square on the head on that one Rusty. The folks at CinemaTreasures.com have been warning people about Grand Venues, Inc. for a couple of years. 

I can understand the feelings of historic preservationists, but again, photos of the interior of the Paramount have been available and on line since at least 2003 that show that this building is beyond saving, and as others have pointed out, a safety hazard.

None of these preservationists have shown the ability to come up with the money it would take to restore the building. What is it $10 to $15 million?

I just hope that the city doesn't just turn the property into another parking lot.

[rusty river]

WHY SHOULD THE CITY TEAR DOWN THE PARAMOUNT THEATER WHEN IT IS OWNED BY LOU FRANGO, WHO HAS AN OFFICE IN THE FIRST FEDERAL PLACE.

Thats not entirely accurate. Frangos Group has a small interest in the property, along with two other entities. The official owners of the property is Liberty Paramount Theatre Youngstown, LLC, which is an investment company that was headed by Grand Venues, Inc. If you remember, Paul Warshauer of Grand Venues came to town about 3 years ago with grand plans for restoring the theatre. It was later discovered that he has been accused of swindlining several other cities and theatre groups around the country, and had never actually restored a single theatre. When he realized that the city was not going to just hand him over grants and credits, he left town, never to be heard from again...

[northside lurker]

THE TWO BLDGS ARE THE PARAMOUNT THEATER AND THE JOLLY BAR.

The Paramount will be the third building to be demolished, but by the city, it would seem.

[iwasthere]

FRANGO DOWNTOWN BLDGS ARE BEHIND IN TAXES. HE SAYS HE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY THOSE TAXES. HOW CAN HE PAY BACK THE CITY THE $2 MILLION DOLLARS HE OWES THE CITY?

[Towntalk]

I agree. It is no great secret that the Paramount is beyond any hope for restoration, so why did he buy it in the first place?

Knowing that it would need to be demolished, he's the one that should foot the bill.

[iwasthere]

THE TWO BLDGS ARE THE PARAMOUNT THEATER AND THE JOLLY BAR. WHY SHOULD THE CITY TEAR DOWN THE PARAMOUNT THEATER WHEN IT IS OWNED BY LOU FRANGO, WHO HAS AN OFFICE IN THE FIRST FEDERAL PLACE. THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONIES TO HIRE POLICE OFFICIERS BUT THEY HAVE $21,00O TO GIVE TO MS CONSULTATION FOR REMOVAL STUDY. WHY DOESN'T FRANGO PAY THAT OUT OF HIS POCKET. FRANGO IS STATED IN THE VINDY TODAY THAT HE IS AT ODDS WITH THE TAX PEOPLE WITH HIS PROPERTIES VALUE FOR TAXES. FRANGO IS A CARBETBAGGER FROM CLEVELAND, WHO IS DESTORYING YTOWN JEWELS AND THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING THE OTHER DIRECTION. WHY?

[northside lurker]

This must be on old photo.  The buildings to the east of the Burt Building have all been removed and the land is now one large parking lot.  Once the Jolly Bar Building is removed, the Burt Building will be the only structure on the entire block.

The suburban dream comes to Youngstown.... a building completely surrounded by a parking lot.

LOL!

Yes, the picture is old.  It's from early 2005.

[rusty river]

There are always parking issues downtown.

The only parking issue downtown is that people are too lazy to walk more than a block. The entire stretch of Front St. from the Marshal st. bridge to the annex building at Market is a parking lot. During business hours, these lots are NEVER even half full.

And I easily find parking within two blocks of the Covelli Centre, even during the bigger events.

[jay]

This must be on old photo.  The buildings to the east of the Burt Building have all been removed and the land is now one large parking lot.  Once the Jolly Bar Building is removed, the Burt Building will be the only structure on the entire block.

The suburban dream comes to Youngstown.... a building completely surrounded by a parking lot.

[northside lurker]

So what two buildings are going to be razed?

Here is an image highlighting what I think are the buildings in question.

[Rick Rowlands]

So what two buildings are going to be razed?

[iwasthere]

i say razed the all the downtown unoccupied bldgs down to satisfied the pro parking people. frango is doing good job now, the stambaugh bldg is now in tax lien because he does not have enough money to pay his taxes. what will happen in august when his two million dollars loan is due to the city? will key bank absorb the loan or go after the city for repayment and give frango a pat on the back and say good job buddy with best wishes from the administration and council.