TIGER Grant for Downtown Road Improvements Denied:
Pretty bad news came this week for Youngstown. The city had been working on a proposal called "SMAR2T" which would improve the infrastructure in the central area of the city. It called for rebuilding several roads from 4 lanes into 2 lanes with bike lanes and landscaping. It also called for things such as a bike share program. The denial of the proposal leaves Downtown in an uncertain position. North Phelps Street likely will no longer receive the major face-lift proposed for it. The bike lane between Mill Creek Park and Downtown may also not be completed anymore. The good news is that the city still has $3 million for the Fifth Avenue rebuilding plan - they will reduce the 4-6 lane road to 2 lanes with landscaping and bike lanes. This will help link Downtown, YSU, and hopefully Mill Creek Park. The project is set to begin in 2020.
A rendering of the proposed Fifth Avenue improvements:
Wayfinding Signs Coming to Downtown This Spring:
The city recently signed a $40,000 contract with Ellet Neon Signs of Akron to supply a network of wayfinding signs to the city. They will primarily be located in Downtown but will also be located in other places such as: Mill Creek Park, Wick Park, and I-680 exits. I'm glad they are finally getting around to this - it's been over three years in the making.
Major signs will have a "City of You" theme to them.
But here's an example of a typical wayfinding sign:
Town Center at Firestone Farms:
Website:
Firestone Farms
Firestone Farms is a large suburban development centered around a golf course in Columbiana, which originally was the farm of Harvey Firestone, founder of Firestone Tires. Columbiana is a small town located 25 minutes south of Youngstown. It is seeing a lot of growth, especially in its Downtown. But, the Town Center at Firestone Farms is a "lifestyle center" that is so far only in phase one. Though it has struggled to attract large retail chains, it has successfully filled all of its storefronts and is doing fairly well considering it is located in a very rural area.
A rendering of the development:
Some notable businesses here include Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, Stone Fruit Coffee Company, and Homestead Kitchen. It is also home to several boutique stores and a high end eyewear retailer called "Wink." The property is home to many offices, most notably, Salem Regional Medical Center.
Stone Fruit Coffee Company - A popular local coffee shop chain:
Phase 2 will be coming soon, which will add a second large building. This will be interesting to see - the first floor will remain retail, but all 2nd floor space will be devoted to luxury apartments, which is something the area lacks at the moment. Across the street (OH-14), there are future plans for the "Marketplace at Firestone Farms" which will add a hotel, grocer, and a Harvey Firestone Museum in a historic barn.
Homestead Kitchen & Cocktail Bar - a farm to table restaurant opening soon in Firestone Farms:
The Town Center at Firestone Farms Phase One:
Main Street Columbiana News:
Luckily, the Firestone Farms development isn't taking business away from Columbiana's historic and walkable Main Street, which is thriving with arts, crafts, breweries, cafes, ect. It is becoming the "hipster" center of the Youngstown area. There was a mini-panic recently when Generations Coffee House, a well known anchor of Main Street announced it was closing - but thankfully, a local family purchased it and is keeping it open and adding lunch and breakfast options.
A photo I took of Main Street during the summer:
A local couple recently purchased a vacant lot on Main Street and plan to turn it into an outdoor eatery for their food truck "No Swine Left Behind." They plan to landscape and fence in the property as well as adding in public outdoor seating.