Experts: Downtown has many strengths

Warren 'can turn it around,' a downtown revival expert says.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Downtown Warren has many assets to build on in its redevelopment effort, according to downtown revitalization and historic preservation experts.
"We saw lots of assets that [other] communities don't have anymore," said Joyce Barrett, program manager for historic preservation with the Columbus-based Downtown Ohio Inc. "We saw the core of downtown as being very strong," she added.
Among downtown Warren's assets, she listed the restored historic Trumbull County Courthouse, the Mahoning River and riverfront amphitheater in Perkins Park, the main public library, the post office, the historic Comfort Inn (formerly Park Hotel), and some strong retail establishments.
"So many of your core services are downtown," where at least 4,000 people work, she noted.
However, vacant retail space is a challenge for downtown revitalization here, she said.
Barrett and her colleague, Pauline Eaton, DOI's downtown revitalization director, took a driving and walking tour of downtown Warren on Tuesday before conducting a Wednesday downtown revitalization workshop at the Comfort Inn. DOI is a nonprofit corporation organized to encourage improvement of downtown areas and commercial districts.
"There are a lot of small communities that we've been in that are in much sorrier shape" than Warren because they lack core businesses and services and have abundant vacant space, Barrett said. "They can turn it around, so Warren can turn it around, too."
Historic buildings a plus
Downtown Warren has "beautiful historic buildings," many of them still intact, said Eaton, who is also a Galion city councilwoman. "The Courthouse Square is just really impressive."
"We really liked the historic preservation ethic that we saw. The city hall just wowed me," she said of the historic Perkins Mansion, which houses the city administration. She said she was also impressed by the Kinsman House restoration. "You have a really nice downtown here -- a lot of potential."
It's a challenge to find good users for large vacant downtown buildings, and to retain downtown jobs, she said.
The workshop, sponsored by the Warren Redevelopment and Planning Corp., was attended by about two dozen people, including city officials, bank and hospital executives, downtown residents, a Realtor and an architect.
"We're trying to get smarter as to what we're doing for the revitalization of downtown," Michael Maggiano, WRAP project manager, said of the workshop.
Main Street approach
Barrett said her organization, which uses what it calls the Main Street approach, believes in employing market analysis to determine what businesses can be successful downtown.
Anthony Iannucci Jr., WRAP director, said his organization has been using the Main Street approach since May in its downtown redevelopment efforts.
"An important part of this program is business retention, and we need to have some type of vehicle for retaining these businesses. We need to get to the businesses before they're ready to close their doors and to see if there's any way we can help," he said.
"We believe in retention first, expansion second, recruitment third" in pursuing economic development opportunities, Barrett said. "You have to have a really strong core environment for anybody to succeed. So your existing businesses should have that framework here available to them before you start recruiting new people in."
milliken@vindy.com