Friday, October 21, 2005
Project supporters say they aren't looking for money from the city at this time.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A majority of city council members say a revival of the Wick District-Smoky Hollow neighborhood will have to be done without any financial assistance from the city.
Council is slated to vote on a major zoning change to that area next month. Three council members don't support the zone change: Rufus G. Hudson, D-2nd; Michael Rapovy, D-5th; and Mark Memmer, D-7th.
Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th, said she supports the zoning change, but she won't approve any legislation to provide city funding for the plan.
Rimedio-Righetti and council's three other members have voted twice to approve the zoning change by emergency measure. It takes the approval of six members to pass legislation by emergency. Council will consider approving the zone change as a nonemergency measure at its next meeting, scheduled for Nov. 2.
A simple majority vote is needed for approval, something that will happen unless another council member who supports the plan switches sides.
Wants more information
Hudson, the most vocal opponent to the proposal, said Wick Neighbors Inc., the nonprofit agency organizing the revival project, needs to provide council with information such as the viability and financing of the plan before he gives it his support.
"To blindly buy into this project with so many uncertainties isn't in the best interests of the city," he said. "It's nice to have pretty drawings and diagrams, but I don't think a developer will not come here because council doesn't approve a zone change. The project's viability isn't dependent on a zone change."
Memmer and Hudson say other communities rezone locations after developers come forward with definitive plans, and Youngstown has done this in the past.
"To give a blanket zone change with no developers isn't responsible," Hudson said. "A zone change is a minor thing. The feasibility and viability needs to be addressed."
Margaret Murphy, Wick Neighbors' executive director, said the zone change is needed to attract developers to the Wick District-Smoky Hollow area.
Youngstown is a city with a "very, very weak" real estate market, and the zoning change has to occur before developers would be interested in this project, said Hunter Morrison, a Wick Neighbors board member and director of Youngstown State University's Center for Urban and Regional Studies.
Impression
Memmer, Hudson and Rapovy said they are concerned approving the zoning change -- to planned development overlay from residential, industrial limited and institutional -- would give Wick Neighbors the impression that the city will provide money for the project.
Wick Neighbors wants to attract private business to invest $250 million to revitalize the area, and estimates the needs for $5.5 million worth of infrastructure improvements. The agency plans to seek state and federal money to pay for the infrastructure work.
"They say, 'no money from the city,' but I'm skeptical," Memmer said. "They'll come back and ask for money, but they're going to have to look elsewhere."
Because YSU owns about 70 percent of the 66-acre area, the university should come up with the funding for infrastructure, said Hudson, who works for YSU, and Rimedio-Righetti.
Premature speculation
YSU supports the project, but it's premature to discuss financing, Morrison said.
"Nobody's asking [the city] for money at this time," Murphy said. "This is about zoning and not financing. There are major steps that need to be made, and the rezoning is the first step."
Murphy wouldn't answer when asked if Wick Neighbors would seek city funding for the project in the future, saying the rezoning proposal is the issue.
Hudson said he needs a definitive answer now on future requests for the city to fund the project.
"How stupid would we look if we supported the project by voting for the zone change and they came back and asked for $5.5 million for infrastructure and we say, 'No?'" Hudson said.
"If I'm premature about funding, then tell me you don't need money from the city at all. Come right out and tell me we'll raise this money privately and there will be no financial commitment from the city in the future."
Wants to support plan
Councilman Richard Atkinson, R-3rd, said the project has a lot of potential and council should support it. Atkinson acknowledged Wick Neighbors will probably ask the city for money in the future.
"We don't know what money they'll need," he said. "But it's too early to circle our wagons and say, 'No,'" he said. "We want to encourage economic growth and development in the city. Let's get the rezoning issue approved and then make a decision on financing if we get that request."
The area is bounded by Wick, Andrews, Rayen and Madison avenues. The new designation would allow the area to be rezoned at once rather than through a piecemeal process.
The proposal includes a 3-acre park; more than 500 townhouses, condominiums, single-family homes and apartments; commercial and retail space; senior citizen housing; and office space.
skolnick@vindy.com