SMOKY HOLLOW Development group hires a consultant

Wick Neighbors has raised about $300,000 to start making its plans a reality.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Wick Neighbors Inc. is launching the pre-development phase of its Smoky Hollow neighborhood redevelopment plan.
The nonprofit development corporation led by institutions on Wick Avenue has awarded CT Consultants of Austintown a $205,000 contract. The company will do an engineering analysis of the old Smoky Hollow neighborhood bordering Youngstown State University.
The study is the first technical step toward creating a $250 million residential and arts community that would transform the struggling area.
The study must be done before Wick Neighbors seeks a developer to build homes and condominiums in Smoky Hollow, said Margaret L. Murphy, Wick Neighbors executive director.
"This really starts answering all the unknowns," she said. "It's a major deal."
CT Consultants will investigate site conditions, determine the location and condition of 80- and 90-year-old utility lines, whether they need to be replaced and plan for other such needs, Murphy said.
The company also will create design standards for new development, she said.
The study will cover the entire Smoky Hollow area, bounded by Madison, Wick, Rayen and Andrews avenues. YSU controls about two thirds of the land to be developed.
Developers want property that is ready for building before committing to a deal, she said. The neighborhood has a 200-year history, so it's undetermined just what challenges engineers will find, she said.
Plans call for up to 500 residential units, 20 acres of green space and 300,000 square feet of commercial space including restaurants, cafes and offices. Wick Neighbors wanted to break ground as soon as this summer with a project. Fund raising took the better part of the year, however, Murphy said.
The group has raised about $300,000, mostly through private channels, to pay for the study and other redevelopment costs, she said.
rgsmith@vindy.com