YWCA will receive $634,000 from state for facility upgrades

By Jon Moffett

The state funding will help retain 26 jobs and create new ones.

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown YWCA will receive more than $600,000 for facility upgrades from the state Controlling Board.

The board signed off on $634,000 in funding Monday to upgrade the facility at 25 W. Rayen Ave. on the city’s North Side. The Clean Ohio Assistance funds will be used to remove asbestos and general waste from the 0.36-acre property. The funding will retain 26 current jobs, as well as create an additional six positions.

The funding will be added to more than $3.5 million in federal low-income housing tax credits and more than $950,000 in federal historic tax credits that already have been secured for the project, according to Vindicator files.

In addition to upgrades to the Rayen facility, the YWCA also plans to renovate 36 dormitory rooms into 30 apartments for disabled or low-income women.

Mayor Jay Williams said the project is vital to the betterment of the community.

“It’s going to be helping women and children in terms of economic opportunity,” Williams said of the project. “To see [the YWCA] be able to move forward with this program is consistent with moving forward with the quality of life in Youngstown. We look to continue to be a long-standing partner with them to improve the quality of life for our city.”

Constance Shaffer, executive director of the YWCA, said the city has been helpful throughout the process of redoing the YWCA.

“The city supports the project through home funds, and we’re really excited to be able to continue our project down there,” she said. “There are so many exciting things going on downtown, and the revitalization of downtown. It’s great to be a part of that.”

She added that construction for the project is set to begin in the spring.

“We should be getting started with construction sometime in March,” she said. “The Clean Ohio funds will be used to remove any hazardous materials in a safe way.”

Williams added that the project is a crucial part of changing the landscape of Youngstown.

“The physical improvement of that area is also important,” he added. “It speaks to what we’re trying to do for the physical improvement to the city.”

The Rayen Avenue facility has been home to the YWCA for nearly a century, the organization’s board said.

Judge Cheryl Waite of the 7th District Court of Appeals, president of the YWCA board of directors, was unavailable to comment.

XCONTRIBUTOR: Marc Kovac, Columbus correspondent