WARREN Downtown will blossom by the end of summer

The city removed trees last summer, annoying some business owners.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Flowering trees, perennial planters and benches will become part of the city's downtown as early as this summer.
Tom Angelo, city water pollution control director, presented the city's downtown streetscape revitalization ideas Tuesday to members of the Downtown Warren Business Association.
"I want to see this done in a month and a half if not sooner," Angelo said.
The association will form a committee to work with the city to see the plan through. Last year, the city removed some trees downtown, drawing the ire of some business people.
Angelo said $20,000 in community development money is available and the city is researching grants to continue the project. The city also hopes people donate trees and planter boxes.
"A city's heart and soul is its downtown," Angelo said.
Considering ideas
One idea for the project is to tie the extended reaches of downtown into the parklike setting of Courthouse Square with common landscaping elements.
The city will conduct a survey of the downtown area to identify where landscaping elements fit best, Angelo said.
He chose Cleveland select pear trees to be placed between lampposts along the downtown streets. The flowering, fruitless, slow-growing trees tolerate heat, pollution and salt and don't require extensive pruning, he said.
Angelo said the city also is looking at benches and planter boxes made of antique-style cobblestone to be filled with perennials along the sidewalks.
"It would enhance the stark storefronts, adding color and interest to the urban streetscape," he said.
The planters also would help identify store entrances and crosswalks.
Improving downtown should coincide with the amphitheater and Riverwalk opening expected later this summer.
"The amphitheater will bring more foot traffic into the downtown area," Angelo said.
Michael Keys, community development director, said that when the Riverwalk and Amphitheater originally were planned, the idea was to move downtown festivals to the new facility, but Riverwalk isn't ready this year for large events.
Festival organizers will be encouraged to move to the new facility next year, but they won't be forced, Keys said.
Eric Thompson, co-chairman of the downtown business association, believes his group will support the streetscape project.
"This is one of the best things to happen to downtown Warren in a long, long time," he said.
denise.dick@vindy.com