YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The renovation of YBI’s main building reflects the quality of the organization’s programs, its CEO said.

Barb Ewing said the nearly $900,000, eight-month project also involved updates and repairs. 

“It hasn’t had any real money invested in it to update it in at least 15 years, and it has been long overdue,” she said.

The renovation of the West Federal Street building was unveiled Tuesday afternoon with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. It’s the original of what has grown to YBI’s five-building campus.

“So we have generally done a facelift – added some office space, added windows so that we could get some light, upgraded the hallways and the stairwells and the restrooms and finally improved our parking lot,” Ewing added.

The renovation improved both the aesthetics and function of YBI’s main building which was out of office space. Offices were added and a conference room was transformed to make it better for events. YBI also made investments in telecommunication systems to provide programming.

“I think what people will notice is the light – being able to put those windows in the side of the building, in the back of the building – just changes the vibe of the space entirely,” Ewing said. “It feels fresh and clean and like a place where great things could happen compared to the very tired building that it had been.”

YBI recently rebranded, changing from the Youngstown Business Incubator, to reflect that it’s a regional economic development organization. It also unveiled its new tagline, “Where Grit Means Growth.” A wall in the renovated space boasts the new logo and tagline.

John Reed, YBI board chairman, said the renovation is the transformation that takes it into the future.

“We’ve had a great past, but we’re growing like crazy, and 2025 has been an amazing year,” he said.

He thanked Ewing, YBI staff and donors. 

“We’ve done so much,” Reed said. “We got the logo, got a new tagline, brought the Innovation Hub here, which is huge, and this beautiful renovation, so I really feel like we’re on a great roll – 2026 is going to be even better.”

Ewing, who also thanked donors, contractors and staff, added that YBI has been so focused on growth that it neglected its home. 

“I was giving a tour to a company from Israel one day and looked around and realized that we just really needed to shake some of the dust off and bring this building up to the level of expectation that we have for the types of businesses that we create and the quality of programs that we have,” she said. “It needs to reflect that.”

With the renovation, it does, Ewing added.

Contributors to the Renovation Campaign include:

  • The Board of Mahoning County Commissioners (2024).
  • Hynes & Finnegan Foundations.
  • Samuel A. & Judy B. Roth.
  • The Youngstown Foundation.
  • Sam & Donna Boak.
  • Edward Barr Charitable Trust.
  • J. Ford Crandall Memorial Foundation.
  • Kennedy Family Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley.
  • RT Vernal Paving & Excavating.
  • City of Youngstown Business Façade Program.
  • MG Electric.

Pictured at top: Barb Ewing and John Reed.