Future of the Paramount site

[northside lurker]

Realist Alert Here:
The whole thing MUST and WILL be knocked down. No facade will be saved and the downtown area will look 100x better without that piece of trash building standing up.

Why save the facade, that is by far and away the UGLIEST part of the building. And folks, that will look very very dumb if you leave just the facade of a building up. It would look very awkward.

TEAR THE WHOLE THING DOWN!

IMHO, the Paramount Theater is the second best looking building on that side of the block.  It just needs some TLC after being neglected for 30 years.

According to the Vindy article, the plan is to save the facade.  So what do you know that we don't?

I don't see what's so attractive about _______________________________  Look how much has been lost over the years already.  It's not like historic buildings with architectural character are an unlimited resource.  We need to save as much as we can.

It could be argued that downtown Massillon, (my hometown) with a population of about 30,000 people, already has as much (or more) intact urban fabric than what remains in downtown Youngstown.  Why are we continuing to make it worse?

[ytowner]

Realist Alert Here:
The whole thing MUST and WILL be knocked down. No facade will be saved and the downtown area will look 100x better without that piece of trash building standing up.

Why save the facade, that is by far and away the UGLIEST part of the building. And folks, that will look very very dumb if you leave just the facade of a building up. It would look very awkward.

TEAR THE WHOLE THING DOWN!

[Towntalk]

By walling off the projection area the wall could be opened up for both the spots and sound equipment.

As to the toilets and office they could be upgraded.

The former Fanny Farmer Candy store and the other store are both very small but could be used.

When I worked downtown the store on the east side of the entrance was a sandwich shop.

Why couldn't the terra cotta on the Hazel Street side be salvaged and used elsewhere in the building?

[northside lurker]

I was thinking it would be cheaper to remove the projection booth to make the new roof cheaper.  But, I think your idea is great!

[Towntalk]

That's the idea that I was referring, and it would also allow the projection booth to be used to show outdoor movies and provide an area for spots if a stage was built.

[northside lurker]

I think this is the most logical way to save the facade, using the first method I described.  The cured wall is the back of the house / front of the projection booth.

[Towntalk]

The managers office was on the 2nd. floor and the 3rd. floor was the projection booth. When Jack Hines was the theater manager I use to deliver stuff to him.

[northside lurker]

I don't think anyone wants to save the Hazel St. facade.  We're talking about the Federal St. facade. (at least I hope so)  The Federal St. facade is 3 stories - ground floor with old storefronts, mezzanine with former restrooms, and a third floor. (I guess that might have been offices?)  So, if they were going to save the facade of the Paramount in the same way they saved the facade of the State, then they would keep these front spaces to support the facade.  I like this idea because, theoretically, small businesses could move into the old storefronts - maybe leave the center open to access the open space where the old theater was.

But, another way to save the facade is to build a support structure of columns and tie the facade into them.  Then, remove the rest of the building.

I don't know what would be more cost-effective in this case because, if the first option is taken, there will have to be a small portion of new roof and structure created to replace what is there now, in addition to the wall at the back to enclose that side.

I'm not an expert, but I was involved in the project to save Warren Harding High School's facade.

[rusty river]

Sure! I think having an uneven tapering of the wall would actually look pretty cool.
I also envision some sort of plant-life aspect to it, like having spider plants growing off the ledge or having ivy cover the wall.

[Towntalk]

Like up to the first street level fire exit?

[rusty river]

If part of the attached walls were preserved to help form an amphitheater with the facade, I'm sure that it could be properly anchored and secured. 

[Towntalk]

Can a wall that large be safely supported since the west end does not abut another building and would be free standing.

I agree with you about the State wall.

[rusty river]

Could someone please tell us what is so special about the front wall of the old Paramount building?

Take away the marque and that wall would look just like any old building.

While I agree that the facade is not as spectacular as that of the State Theatre, it is MUCH more interesting and eye pleasing than the Voinovich buildings. Neo-classical facades at that scale are no longer produced because they are cost prohibitive. Removing such a large and important structure to downtown's history would be devastating to the street and would work to destroy the uniqueness that is downtown Youngstown.

It should be preserved, properly restored, and fully integrated into whatever development takes place on that site.

[Towntalk]

Could someone please tell us what is so special about the front wall of the old Paramount building?

Take away the marque and that wall would look just like any old building.

[iwasthere]

i will show my support when lou frango is ran out town too.