Same Old Same Old

[northside lurker]

Again, if the Paramount was demolished, the media would just go somewhere else, if they were looking for the "pity Youngstown" angle.  Every city in the US has at least one of these places, but Youngstown is one of a small group of cities where the media likes to use this angle. (others include Detroit, Flint, Cleveland, etc.)

There's nothing welcoming about a parking lot.  If a developer came along and wanted to build a new condo building like this: (for example)

I would not be too sad to see the Paramount go.  But since that is unlikely in the near future, I'd rather see the Paramount reused in some way because it's much better than a parking lot.

[Towntalk]

I guess the thing that really upsets me is the fact that every time the news media covers a story about Youngstown they gravitate to those locations that give a negative picture of our city, ignoring the sites that deserve the publicity.

Granted that we've gotten some good publicity about our efforts to bring back Youngstown, but still when the out of town press comes to town, where do they gravitate to?

A lot of the eyesores downtown have been abated, yet this one building stands our like a sore thumb in the heart of the city, and quite honestly we know that folks judge downtown by that building and that's unfair to all the folks that have invested in bringing the downtown back to life.

I would like to see the day come in my lifetime when there was no more need to hide any downtown building behind murals of pictures of Youngstown's past, but would showcase new businesses investing their time and money here with clean and welcoming places to shop.

We want to bring folks downtown to live, but why would they do that when in order to shop, they would have to drive out to the suburbs, but with stores downtown, this would no longer be a problem.

[northside lurker]

Surely Frangos had to know the condition of the building when he invested in it, so why did he do it given all the other projects he has on his plate?

Paul Warshauer was a persuasive guy, and people wanted to believe him.

If you or I buy a building and just let it stand there doing nothing with it, you can bet that the city would be down on us like a swarm of bees whose nest we disturbed.

Maybe, maybe not.  There is a lot of speculation about why the city seems to be giving Frangos a free pass, and I don't want to get into that.

[Towntalk]

Surely Frangos had to know the condition of the building when he invested in it, so why did he do it given all the other projects he has on his plate?

If you or I buy a building and just let it stand there doing nothing with it, you can bet that the city would be down on us like a swarm of bees whose nest we disturbed.

[northside lurker]

If some private group can come up with the money to demolish the building while preserving the front, and then preping it for other uses like an amphitheater then I wouldn't object, but given the other more important things the city needs, it's unfair to expect the taxpayers to foot the bill.

Of all the folks that have talked about preserving it, I've yet to see them come forward with the money to (a) buy the building; (b) hire a company to abate the building; (c) demolish the building while saving the front; (d) hire a contractor to stabilize the wall; (e) clean it and do patches where needed; (f) prep the land behind the wall for development.

Not that I totally disagree with your last post, but you started this thread complaining that the city chose NOT to do "A," "B," and "C."  Now, you don't want the city to do "A," "B," and "C?" (From what I've seen of the building, the back wall of the house would make a good stopping point for demolition.  So, the cost of total demolition and the cost of demolition up to the back wall would probably be almost the same.)

I don't think the city should buy the building from Mr. Frangos.  But, maybe the city could help him secure the grants that they were going to use to abate the building, and create other incentives for him to do something creative with the building, instead of just leveling it.

[Towntalk]

If some private group can come up with the money to demolish the building while preserving the front, and then preping it for other uses like an amphitheater then I wouldn't object, but given the other more important things the city needs, it's unfair to expect the taxpayers to foot the bill.

Of all the folks that have talked about preserving it, I've yet to see them come forward with the money to (a) buy the building; (b) hire a company to abate the building; (c) demolish the building while saving the front; (d) hire a contractor to stabilize the wall; (e) clean it and do patches where needed; (f) prep the land behind the wall for development.

[northside lurker]

The Paramount facade has the potential to be very nice again.  But I'm not interested in saving this facade because it is unique or architecturally significant.  IMHO, even in its current state, it's more visually interesting, and preferable to anything that would replace it in the foreseeable future.  I realize that words like "character," "interesting," and "beautiful" are subjective, but I'm not the only one who sees the value of old architecture, and the value it adds to the street.

[Towntalk]

As to the homes in the Wick Park area, save them and restore them.

As to saving the front wall of the Paramount, what on earth is so beautiful or unique in it? I could see saving the front wall of the State Theater because it is unique, and I can see trying to save the Kress building, but the Paramount?

[northside lurker]

We agree to disagree. But who's gonna put up the millions to do something with that building, I certainly don't see anyone coming forward. In the meantime any time the networks come to town to present a negative story about the city it's a magnet backdrop.

I'm not currently in touch with them, but I've read there is a group of individuals who are trying to save the building and do something with it.

I don't think it would take millions to save the Paramount's facade and make it ready for an alternate use.  I worked on the project to save the Warren Harding High School facade, so I know a little about what can be done.  On that building: the facade was cleaned, the sides and rear were enclosed and finished, a basic heating system installed, some new windows installed, and some basic landscaping was done, for less than $750,000. (maybe less, I can't be sure)

The media isn't a good excuse for demolition, either.  If the Paramount is demolished, they will just find some other building to film in front of.

The one thing that no one has ever explained is why on earth the building is so precious other than fond memories. How many folks have tried to restore the building since the 1980's only to back away after draining their funds?

I don't care about the building's history.  It's been vacant for almost as long as I've been alive, and the first time I ever laid eyes on it was about 10 years ago.

Downtown has already lost so many interesting buildings, we need to work harder to save what little we have left.  If all of downtown looked like the giant monoliths next to the De-Yor Center, it would be much less inviting than it is now.

How many people have done work to the building since the 80's?  It changed ownership a couple times, but I'm not sure any work was actually done to the building. (but I'm no expert on the building's history)

We all know the condition of the interior so I won't go into that here, and we know that there aren't any deep pocketed folks in town willing to save it, so do we simply let it stand there rotting away when we're trying to make the area a welcoming destination.

IMHO, yes.  As downtown continues to improve, interest in the Paramount will grow.  But if we remain short-sighted, and tear it down, it will be gone forever.

Even the people trying to save the building have no interest in saving the whole structure.  Some want to save the facade, and build a new building behind it.  Others, want to save the facade and create an open public space that could be used for the outdoor movie series, small concerts, farmers market, etc.

The banks want nothing to do with the building so they won't part with a single dime to help finance anyone wanting to do something with it, so where are the preservationists at to put up the money? They want others to throw away their money on a lost cause.

I know from personal experience that some banks aren't interested in any structure that needs renovation.  Should all those homes in the Wick Park neighborhood be demolished too?

[Towntalk]

We agree to disagree. But who's gonna put up the millions to do something with that building, I certainly don't see anyone coming forward. In the meantime any time the networks come to town to present a negative story about the city it's a magnet backdrop.

The one thing that no one has ever explained is why on earth the building is so precious other than fond memories. How many folks have tried to restore the building since the 1980's only to back away after draining their funds?

We all know the condition of the interior so I won't go into that here, and we know that there aren't any deep pocketed folks in town willing to save it, so do we simply let it stand there rotting away when we're trying to make the area a welcoming destination.

The banks want nothing to do with the building so they won't part with a single dime to help finance anyone wanting to do something with it, so where are the preservationists at to put up the money? They want others to throw away their money on a lost cause.

[northside lurker]

Until someone can provide evidence (an engineer's report) that it is structurally unsound, and therefore dangerous, I think it should stay until a good alternate use for the site can be found. (NOT another parking lot)

With the possible exception of the Federal Building, the Paramount building is the best looking on that side of the street, on that block.

[Towntalk]

Well again our city dads are content to let the Paramount building stand as a safety hazard and a major eye sore rather than do what's right and order it torn down once and for all. What's it going to take for Council to step up to the plate and order the building's owner to demolish the structure?

There's nothing about this building worth saving ... not even the front wall facing Federal Street.

What's it got to take before they act ... a fire ... injuries ... a cave in?

Since the city has the power to act, the people of Youngstown have got to step up to the plate and force the city  to order its demolition at the owners expense.