Tressel seeking proposals for develoment around YSU

YOUNGSTOWN

The past 15 years have brought restaurants and businesses to the city’s downtown, but the area surrounding Youngstown State University hasn’t shared in that development.

President Jim Tressel wants to change that.

He plans to seek requests for proposals for more development near the university.

“The biggest thing when I’ve talked to many students on and around campus and to citizens is, ‘We don’t have a grocery store,’” Tressel said. “That’s a real need, especially for international students.”

Those students don’t have cars, and many have no family in the area.

“The first priority is to get a grocery store and try to slowly build other types of places that students always talk about,” he said.

Tressel sees the project in phases of short- and longer-term goals.

A longer-range goal is more off-campus housing closer to campus. The university is expanding its recruitment footprint, trying to attract students from outside of the Mahoning and Shenango valleys.

Read more about the plans in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.