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Youngstown design committee approves 2 downtown building demos
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
Two more downtown buildings will be torn down to make way for additional parking.
The city’s Design Review Committee on Tuesday approved the demolition of the vacant building at 203 W. Boardman Street, once occupied by Achkar Jewelers, and the razing of the structure at 25 S. Phelps St., a convenience store across from city hall.
“The building is in pretty bad repair,” Walter Van Scoter, project manager at Strollo Architects, said of the Boardman Street property.
Tearing down the building, which sits on West Boardman Street near South Hazel Street, will increase from 66 to 72 the number of parking spaces available.
Coyne Investments LLC is the new owner of both properties.
Van Scoter said the South Phelps Street building also is in disrepair. Tearing it down will create 21 additional parking spaces.
The committee also approved installation of landscaping and the patio at the former Paramount Theater location at the northeast corner of Hazel and Federal streets.
The work includes concrete bricks, mulch, plants and installation of a fence. The city’s board of control voted Thursday to pay $19,292 to Executive Landscaping, a Vienna company, to do the work.
Left to be approved is the seating for the area.
The old theater was demolished to create a 24-space parking area.
John DeFrance, a committee member, inquired about the terra-cotta from the old theater building being included in the design.
“Every time one of these old buildings comes down someone wants to save the facade,” he said.
He suggested that just enough of the terra-cotta be included to allow people to know what used to be there and offered his assistance to the company.
Committee members also approved a request from Home Savings Bank to replace 381 windows at its main office at 275 W. Federal St. The existing windows were installed in the 1960s before the advent of insulating glass, said Ted Downie of Alex Downie & Sons Co. He estimated the investment at $500,000.