Warren’s Market Block Building recognized

Staff report

Warren

The Market Block Building at 147 W. Market St., home to The Raymond John Wean Foundation, has been recognized with the Best Commercial Rehabilitation Award by Heritage Ohio.

The award is presented to the best storefront, interior and/or total building improvement project in Ohio based on proper preservation techniques.

The recognition was made at Heritage Ohio’s Annual Awards Luncheon last week in Columbus.

“We’re thrilled that the investment in this building and in the Mahoning Valley was recognized with the statewide award,” said Jeff Glebocki, Wean Foundation president. “We think it also demonstrates how communities like Youngstown and Warren can really re-imagine the uses of historic properties and provide that avenue for development.”

Located on Warren’s Courthouse Square, the historical building was completely restored by The Chesler Group Inc. from July 2011 to May 2012, and Glebocki said the recognition was for that company.

The renovation joined three separate buildings, originally built in 1868, to incorporate a more functional and creative layout for the new office and meeting spaces, while restoring and preserving the historical features of the building.

The foundation’s offices, on the building’s second floor, offer a contemporary take on the historical architecture. The offices also feature a rotating collection of artwork on loan from the permanent collection of The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown.

Furthering the foundation’s goal of bringing together and engaging community residents, much of the space in the building is available for community use.

The Western Reserve Room on the building’s ground floor and other, smaller meeting rooms throughout the facility are used extensively as community meeting spaces, where dozens of Mahoning Valley organizations and civic groups have had more than 115 meetings and events.

A licensed catering kitchen is available for use during events.

The foundation’s incubator space, located primarily in the building’s Garden Level, hosts nonprofit organizations and programs in their initial years of development, expansion or re-invention.

Current tenants include the Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, Mahoning Valley College Access Program, Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center and FracTracker Alliance.