International Towers Residents Grateful to Return Home

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Mostly rubble remains from the Realty Tower downtown as residents of the neighboring International Towers began returning home Wednesday morning.

“We’re back home,” said one resident, Wayne, who declined to give his last name. “Yesterday was like Christmas Eve, like when we were a kid … all excited to get back.”

Nancy Voitus, executive director of Catholic Charities, which is one of the organizations helping residents move back in, said, “They’re coming back in waves. There’s people coming from the hotels. I think people who were with family are probably coming down already too.”

She said getting the residents checked in is a very smooth process. They’re getting their key fobs and moving their stuff back in through the backdoor.

“It’s a good day. People are happy they’re going home,” Voltus said.

Volunteers from organizations such as the United Way, Goodwill, the YMCA, Heart Reach and MyCAP are also helping residents move back in.

Bob Hannon, president of the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, said Monday that the residents’ return “will be done in small groups” and take a few days.

Many of the residents returning Wednesday were staying at the Baymont by Wyndham on South Avenue.

“It’s good to be back in the city,” said resident Julian Jones. He was waiting with all his belongings in bags inside a large crate on wheels.

“We’re coming back home,” said another resident who had been staying in a women’s shelter. “I’m so happy to come home tomorrow.”

She was greeting Jones and her other neighbors who were returning Wednesday. She said she missed having the bus station and the people who live in the building.

“I’m excited,” said resident Jewel Stevens, who added it has been tiring and “very inconvenient” being away from home for more than 10 weeks. She thanked many of the organizations and volunteers, the Youngstown Post Office for giving them postal boxes and the people in Boardman who helped them.

“I was grateful,” Stevens said. “We could have been sleeping in a pot or in an auditorium, but we were at [the] Baymont [hotel], and I’m very thankful for the service they rendered as well.”

Stevens said everything happens for a reason, and although she just moved into International Towers in February, staying at the Baymont gave her the opportunity to meet people who live in her building that she didn’t know yet.

Although Wayne said he was disappointed by the lack of a swimming pool at the Baymont, he liked being able to step outside and see the sunshine first thing in the morning. And he thought it was “decent” of organizations to provide them with gift cards to help cover expenses while evacuated.

Wayne said he returned downtown a few times to check on the situation as the Realty Tower demolition progressed.

“That building was admired by many people,” Wayne said, adding he feels for the downtown businesses and restaurants, especially the DoubleTree by Hilton Youngstown Downtown and Bistro 1907, which will reopen with a new name – Casa di Canzonetta – and a new concept.

Wayne, who has lived in International Towers for eight years, said he was lying in his apartment with his window open on May 28, the day of the gas explosion at Realty Tower. He heard a boom, followed by the sight of his curtains flying up and touching the ceiling of his apartment. At first, he thought it was the wind coming over the building Then he realized it was something else.

“I looked out and saw people pointing at the building,” Wayne said. “I went out, and they had just carried [a] girl out of the basement. … She was laying there, and I covered her up before the emergency team got there.”

He said he could hear the gas that prompted emergency crews to do the initial evacuation.

International Towers residents were initially evacuated from their homes on the day of the explosion and returned for a few weeks before a structural engineer determined the Realty Tower could collapse. Due to the “imminent danger,” residents were evacuated again.

Demolition continues at Realty Tower, but it has proceeded past a fear of a collapse affecting the neighboring building.

There were a lot of smiles Wednesday, although one resident, who identified himself only as Jerry, wasn’t happy. He had hoped the International Towers building would be cleaned and improvements made in their absence. His list of concerns included accusations of bed bugs, roaches and broken washers and dryers, which he said he has called the health department about before, but nothing has been done.

Jerry said during his time away, he has made plans to move out permanently next month.

Pictured at top: Residents wait outside International Towers to check in and get their key fobs for their apartments.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.