Thursday, April 12, 2001
YOUNGSTOWN -- City council members talked Wednesday about city-owned downtown buildings, including the city hall annex and its future.
They wanted to know why the city's downtown agency, Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp., is offering the annex building to the state court system.
Richard Atkinson, R-3rd, and John R. Swierz, D-7th, questioned CIC's authority to do so. Council hasn't been involved, they complained.
Council needs to be better informed about what's happening, said Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st.
CIC is simply trying to keep the 7th District Court of Appeals in downtown, said Mayor George M. McKelvey.
Proposal: CIC is working out a proposal that ultimately will come before council for approval, the mayor said. He didn't know any details, but said no deal has been struck.
McKelvey said he was under the impression that Charles P. Sammarone, president of both city council and the CIC, had been keeping council members informed.
Ron Sefcik, D-4th, said council needs to meet one day to talk about the future of the B & amp;O Station, too.
Despite several development agreements over the past few years, the former restaurant remains vacant.