Huntington Bank Returns to Landmark Building in Youngstown

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – After nearly three years, Huntington Bank has reopened its branch at its landmark location on Federal Plaza, downtown.

Bank executives and city officials were on hand Tuesday at a grand opening ceremony celebrating the bank’s return to its former location – the former Mahoning Bank Building – and its commitment to the central business district.

The footprint of the new space is smaller than the original, which once occupied the entire ground floor. Instead, the bank assumes less than half of that, walled with glass that gives a modern look to the operation.

“The branch is a little bit smaller, but it actually has a lot of the new fixtures and the look of our newer branches,” said Sam Huston, market president of Huntington’s Mahoning Valley region. “We were still able to protect the integrity and the beauty of the original building.”

Indeed, the ornate ceilings are still very much preserved, as are the light fixtures that still adorn the entrance to the building.

The building, initially constructed for Mahoning National Bank, is among the most historically significant structures in the city. Built in 1910 and designed by Detroit architect Albert Kahn, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mahoning National Bank was acquired by Sky Financial Group in 1999. Then in 2008, Huntington acquired Sky and operated its downtown location from the Mahoning Bank building.

Huston said the renovations took longer than anticipated because of some construction delays, but the city and the building’s landlords were always excellent partners as the project moved forward. 

The bank branch officially opened July 21, but the grand opening was postponed until Oct. 15 in part because of the run-up to the Youngstown Open, a citywide celebration of downtown’s comeback that is scheduled for this weekend.

“I think we’ve done a really great job of integrating the new look and the historic qualities of the building,” said Demetrius Williams, district manager of Huntington Bank.

In May, a gas explosion destroyed the ground floor of the landmark Realty Building across the street, killing one and injuring several others. The building has since been razed.

“We know the importance of this branch to the community, and we’re absolutely thrilled to be a part of it,” Huston said. “We’re going to continue to be innovative, continue to be forward looking. We’re going to continue to invest your money back into the community.”

Guy Coviello, president and CEO of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, said Huntington is an example of the continued positive efforts throughout downtown, citing the location of Steelite’s corporate headquarters along West Federal Street and the recent opening of refrigerant manufacturer Zoetic on the east end of downtown.

“We appreciate that Huntington is continuing the momentum that we’ve established earlier this year,” he said.

Mayor Jamael Tito Brown said the new branch will allow the bank to grow and continue its strong relationship with downtown. “I want to thank Huntington for the partnership we’ve had – not just financials, but for community events,” he said. “Those things matter to the community.”

The branch closed in October 2021 after Huntington acquired TCF Bank and consolidated its downtown operations into TCF’s space at the Stambaugh Building.

However, instead of permanently vacating the building as initially planned, Huntington opted to renovate the ground floor of the landmark structure and resume retail operations there at a future date.

The new branch is much larger than Huntington’s temporary location in Stambaugh, which it occupied as construction on the space was underway, Huston said.

In December 2022, the Mahoning Bank building sold to a New York-based entity, 22 Market Street Ohio LLC, for $2.3 million. The owners are in the process of renovating the remainder of the 13-story structure.

Pictured at top: From left are Guy Coviello; Sam Huston; Jessica Kraynak, branch manager; and Mayor Jamael Tito Brown.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.