YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The city’s Board of Control approved accepting $100,000 from the Youngstown Foundation to implement downtown recovery projects and allocated $75,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds to support the CityScape at Briel’s project.
Economic Action Group, which has been working with the city to develop short- and long-term downtown recovery plans, will use the Youngstown Foundation funds to implement steps in the short-term plan, Stephanie Gilchrist, city economic development director, said following Thursday’s meeting.
The CDBG funds will go to the Youngstown CityScape Inc. Briel Community Resource Center for greenhouse repairs and development of the adjacent neighborhood garden resource center.
The plans for downtown are being developed using a $50,000 JobsOhio grant, $25,000 from the city of Youngstown and $25,000 from the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber Foundation, said Dan Bancroft, EAG operations manager.
“We’ll have you know those [long-term] deliverables released by the end of this year, whereas this $100,000 from the Youngstown Foundation will be to implement some of the short-term recommendations that were identified in the plan,” Bancroft said.
Implementation will be split between EAG and the Regional Chamber, he continued. Items to be implemented fall into a few categories, including business engagement, business support, programming and events, accessibility and signage, community engagement, inclusive housing development and infrastructure enhancement.
Specific pieces will include wayfinding maps around downtown to help visitors find their way to different venues and different events, as well as developing plans for lighting and safety enhancements, he said. Plans also will incorporate social media and earned media.
CityScape purchased the former Briel’s Flowers and Greenhouse, 22-26 S. Belle Vista Ave., in 2021 for $145,000 with the intent of growing its own plants and flowers for its annual Streetscape downtown Youngstown beautification event.
“The city sees the asset of a community resource center that has a greenhouse that helps our neighborhood groups with plants and plant materials,” said Sharon Letson, CityScape executive director. “They see that [CDBG grant] as a good investment.”
CityScape had made “a lot of strides” in its work on the property and already has been serving the community from it, and the city wanted to provide additional funds to get the operation up and running fully, said Debra Byrd, community development division compliance director.
The long-term plan is to operate a full-service florist and greenhouse out of the facilities, Letson said.
In addition, the board of control approved providing $60,000 in CDBG funds to Flying High Inc. to assist lower-income individuals with job training and employment assistance through its Professional Development Center.
“Flying High is just really excellent at providing that service,” said Beverly Hosey, community development director. “They’ve been doing it, and their impact has proven to be very high, so that’s why we have continued to fund them.”
Pictured at top: CityScape at Briel’s.