YOUNGSTOWN Commission questions plan to replace deck

The board wants a parking lot plan that addresses three issues.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The decrepit old parking deck on Boardman Street can come down now, city officials have decided.
The downtown parking lot that replaces it, however, remains an issue.
The city's design review commission approved a demolition permit Wednesday so the deck's owner, USA Parking Systems, can tear down the garage.
The board was satisfied that the deck is plagued by structural problems. Bill Wood, an engineer with ES & amp;C, told the board the deck is in as bad a shape as the old Phar-Mor deck before it was torn down in 2000.
"There are serious deficiencies in that building," Wood said.
A month ago, the board declined to grant the approval. Instead, members wanted a structural analysis and cost estimates on rehabilitating all or part of the garage.
The board also was concerned about the demolition's impact on the neighboring WFMJ studios. Gus Frangos of USA Parking said he is talking with the television station about minimizing problems, such as scheduling demolition work at off hours.
Only the WFMJ and Amedia Plaza buildings would be left standing on the Phelps-Front-Hazel-Boardman block after the demolition.
What's proposed
USA wants to create two surface parking lots on the spot totaling 181 spaces. Entrances would be on Front and Hazel streets. The lots would be on two levels because the site sits on a small hill. A park would be built across from city hall between WFMJ and Amedia Plaza.
Frangos said he wants to start the work in 30 days but needed city approval for the new lot before he signs a contract. The demolition and new lot will be under one contract, he said.
That didn't happen Wednesday.
The board asked USA to come up with a plan that address three issues: one of the access points to the street, traffic flow that doesn't allow vehicles to circulate around the lot and landscaping.
One entrance-exit needs to be moved farther away from a corner, the board said.
Drivers must be able to circle the lot to look for spaces, members said. The original plan only let vehicles move through the lot one way and forced traffic out onto Hazel, a one-way street. Then drivers would have to circle the entire block to get back into the lot.
The lot also needs either adequate landscaping or a fence to screen it from the street and meet the board's guidelines, members said.
Frangos said he would work on a plan addressing all those points.
Projects given nod
The board also approved two other projects:
U Changes to the old Booth Insurance office at 118 E. Wood St. for the All Children Learn Differently school. The school will clean up and make changes to the facade.
U Facade changes to the McCrory building downtown. The top two floors will get new windows. The ground level display windows will be replaced with contemporary glass and aluminum. There are no plans yet to renovate the inside of the building into office space.
rgsmith@vindy.com