SitemapThe city’s planning commission gave its endorsement to a plan to redevelop the U.S. Route 422 corridor, which includes increasing industrial areas, adding more lighting, medians, bike paths and sidewalks and stabilizing residential areas.
The commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to recommend that city council approve a resolution supporting the plan. Council is to meet today with a vote to support the plan on its agenda.
“The plan looks at the economic-development opportunities in the corridor and the stability of the neighborhoods,” said Jack Daugherty, program coordinator for the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.
YNDC, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and the Trumbull County Planning Commission are leading an effort to redevelop the corridor.
They hired Interface Studio, a Philadelphia-based urban design and planning firm, for $150,000 to develop a plan for the portion of the corridor that encompasses 3,500 acres, 220 businesses and 8,500 residents.
That area is bounded on the north by Liberty Street, state Route 711 on the east, state Route 193 and Interstate 680 on the south, and Meridian Road on the west. It includes portions of Youngstown, Girard and Liberty.
The expense of implementing the program hasn’t been determined, Daugherty said, but the initial focus will be on inexpensive projects such as cleanups and beautification programs.
“We can do that work along the corridor to improve its attractiveness,” he said.
Talk of redevelopment in the area started in 2010 when Vallourec Star invested $1.1 billion for a pipe mill along the route.
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