SitemapThe City of Youngstown will invest millions of dollars to improve the quality of life for its residents and visitors.
Youngstown City Council approved spending $5.3 million dollars toward cleaning up vacant properties, a new amphitheater downtown, and a business expansion.
Two-thirds of the total, $3.5 million, will go toward demolishing about 518 vacant properties in the city, possibly 20 of them commercial. It will be the most properties ever demolished by the city itself — the direct result of raising sanitation fees.
“For the decision to fund this environmental sanitation fund, truly, it’s the first one in the state. We’d not be having this meeting tonight talking about the ability to tear down 500 homes,” said Finance Director Dave Bozanich.
Abby Beniston, with code enforcement and demolition, said the priority is to get rid of the vacant properties along safe routes to the schools.
Council decided to spend $500,000 to clean up the old City Asphalt property on Gibson Street.
Another $800,000 will go to the MKSK Landscape Architecture of Columbus to start the new amphitheater project along the river downtown. Its completion date has been extended from December 2017 to May 2018.
Council approved a deal with Fireline Incorporated on Andrews Avenue. It’s a $350,000 water and wastewater grant, the sale of two parcels in Smokey Hollow, and a 75 percent 10-year tax abatement.
“That’s what we did tonight. We created opportunities for investment through building the amphitheater, through cleaning up properties,” said 5th Ward Councilwoman Lauren McNally.
Council members also approved to ask the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for a $650,000 grant, matched with $218,000 in city money. It will go toward a recreational trail from downtown to Mill Creek Park.
The only one voting no on that issue was 6th Ward Councilwoman Anita Davis. She’d rather see paths along the main roads.
“A lot of people do ride their bike as an actual means of transportation. That would have been work-related, that affected the whole community that had a logical use for it,” Davis said.
A public meeting on what’s being called the “Center City to Mill Creek Connector” bike path will be held Thursday from to 3 to 5 p.m. in the Covelli Centre Community Room. The public is invited to attend and provide input on the project.
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