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YBI continues to write its story
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
Inside 29 Vindicator Square, there are tubes that run through the building.
These pneumatic tubes once delivered information from one desk to another and from one floor to another at The Vindicator.
“When you are looking at these tubes, you are almost looking at the predecessor of the Internet,” said Jim Cossler, Huntington Bank entrepreneur in residence and chief executive officer of the Youngstown Business Incubator.
By next year, new technologies will be developed in the building that will set the stage for future innovations and changes.
Renovations at the fifth building to YBI’s campus will begin June 27 with asbestos removal and demolition of a garage behind the building. The construction will take up to nine months.
The building that once housed the storytellers and newspaper producers of The Vindicator will turn into a house for dreamers, innovators and entrepreneurs.
“When you go into some of the executive offices and you look at this beautiful paneled space, you just sit there and wonder what conversations were had,” Cossler said.
Now, we are left to wonder what conversations will be had.
BUILDING ROOTS
The building at Boardman Street and Vindicator Square was this newspaper’s third home.
The building was erected by Scripps-Howard in 1931 for its Youngstown Telegram. On July 2, 1936, The Vindicator acquired The Youngstown Telegram. In 1937, The Vindicator relocated from its second home at Boardman and Phelps streets to the Scripps-Howard building.
The Vindicator’s second home was renovated in 1938 and became home to WFMJ Radio, and later 21 WFMJ-TV.
Telegram Square was renamed Vindicator Square.
The Vindicator marked its 70th anniversary and relocation with a special 224-page issue on March 27, 1938.
“The building and the huge Goss Press rest on two separate foundations so that the vibrations of the 400-ton press are not communicated to the structure,” a description of the building reads. “To dull the clatter of typewriters and hum of wire machines, acoustically treated ceilings have been installed in the editorial and press wire rooms and the business office.”
All of the steel furniture inside was made in Youngstown.
Today, the rooms in the building are empty, but a presence is still felt. It still smells of ink and metal. Inside a dumb waiter is a brown folder with “processed copy – return to newsroom” written on it.
In 1967, The Vindicator acquired property on Front Street across from the other Vindicator building for construction of a new printing plant. In December 1972, the paper was printed in the new plant. In 1988, the editorial staff relocated to the new building.
A NEW PURPOSE
In 2015, it was announced The Vindicator would sell its third home to YBI to create additional space for additive manufacturing companies.
“In the summer of 2001, if you would have asked me how many buildings you would have now, I would have never guessed five,” Cossler said. “There were so many significant barriers. There was a complete disbelief by the general public.”
There was doubt in Cossler’s belief that Youngstown could be the launch pad for world-class software companies.
“Fortunately, we have persevered,” he said. “It feels vindicating.”
The coming of America Makes in 2012 created a new path for YBI from software to additive manufacturing.
America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, was created as a pilot program by President Barack Obama’s administration.
Today, YBI has seven portfolio companies involved in additive manufacturing. Its new 48,000-square-foot building will be all about additive manufacturing.
“We are just thrilled by the number of high quality 3-D printing manufacturers we have,” Cossler said.
The business incubator received $3 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, $1.5 million from the Ohio Capital Appropriations budget and $500,000 from the city of Youngstown to renovate the office building for YBI’s use.
Mike Coates Construction will be the main contractor on the new project.
“This project is such a massive project,” said Barb Ewing, chief operations officer at YBI.
Renovation of the building includes the basics: a new HVAC system, updated electric and plumbing.
The exterior facade, including The Vindicator sign, will be restored, and the historical significance of the building will be protected.
In addition to space for YBI’s additive manufacturing companies, the building will have manufacturing training space for Youngstown State University and Eastern Gateway Community College students.
The building will house the future of manufacturing.
“It really reminds me of the history of this city,” Ewing said. “And also I just can’t see that space without being reminded of the great corporate citizenship of the original owners of The Vindicator, Mr. Maag and the rest of the Brown family.”
THE NEXT CHAPTER
A massive renovation project is just a piece of YBI’s ongoing story.
YBI, the Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corp., the Tech Belt Innovation Center and the YSU Research Foundation will soon kick off an investment fund.
“It’s a very unique collaboration,” Ewing said.
The biggest problem facing local start-up companies is the lack of capital, and this fund looks to fix that. The groups involved hope to raise $10 million over 10 years for early stage technology companies.
YBI is also working with the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network and America Makes on an additive manufacturing cluster study.
The organizations, along with YSU, were awarded a state grant to engage with area manufacturers on additive manufacturing opportunities.
“It’s a way to bring high tech into traditional mom and pop shops to dramatically reduce the cost of tooling,” Ewing said. “It’s not universal. It doesn’t apply in all instances.”
Also this year, YBI graduated its first Women in Entrepreneurship, WE, class.
“Just the process of bringing women together has been very rewarding and beneficial for them and for us,” Ewing said.
YBI’s AMPED competition to support local businesses focuses on additive manufacturing and will kick off next month. Last year, three YBI start-up companies received funds to help them grow.
YBI has 25 companies it works with today. Outside of software and additive manufacturing comes a new cluster for the incubator to explore: virtual reality.
“We are doing great, and we are doing great things in the community,” Ewing said. “We are very proud to be a part of the resurgence of Northeast Ohio.”