Development group hires assistant director

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN —An organization that focuses on stabilizing and revitalizing Youngstown neighborhoods has hired an assistant director.

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. announced Thursday that it has hired Ian Beniston for the No. 2 position.

Beniston, of Youngstown, recently served as director of policy for the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative and was involved in the Youngstown 2010 redevelopment plan as an intern in the city’s planning department.

Beniston has a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Ohio State University and a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Youngstown State University.

While at MVOC, he helped create the neighborhood-development organization.

“Ian clearly brings unique and diverse urban-planning and development skills to our work,” said Presley Gillespie, the YNDC’s executive director.

The goal of the organization, created a year ago, is to assist neighborhoods in Youngstown that are in danger of declining and work to keep them stable.

Its first project is “Lots of Green” in the Idora Neighborhood, on and near the Glenwood Avenue and Canfield Road section of the city. The YNDC plans to plant grass and trees and install fencing on vacant lots in that area as well as continue to maintain the property until it can be used for residential development.