YSU group works to create economic development zone on Youngstown’s South Side

By DENISE DICK

denise_dick@vindy.com

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A new initiative aims to bring investment and small businesses back to an area of the city’s South Side.

The Youngstown State University Research Foundation, a nonprofit corporation and a separate 501C3 organization from the university, is working to create an economic development zone in the southern part of the city surrounding St. Dominic’s Church.

The idea is to identify people who are interested in starting small businesses and to gather investors willing to invest cash and also lend their business expertise.

“We’re looking at it not based on assumptions that it’s a bad area,” said Pat Gaughan, a YSU business/community liaison and an instructor in graduate studies and research, referring to the neighborhood. “We’re looking at a whole array of what can be done. How can the average income be improved? We’re trying to think outside the box and identify the resources that are available.”

At the same time, YSU students and faculty will lend their skills to the effort.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com