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Rocky Ridge Neighborhood group, YNDC show off renovated house
YOUNGSTOWN
If you are interested in a completely refurbished two-story, three-bedroom home with original wood trim and refinished hardwood floors, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., in partnership with Rocky Ridge Neighborhood Association, has a deal for you.
The home, with a formal dining room, living room with a fireplace, one and one-half baths, new high-efficiency furnace and hot water heater and new windows, was on display Wednesday during the Cookie Table Open House.
Maybe the best things about the home, located at 138 S. Hazelwood Ave. on the city’s West Side, is the neighborhood’s sense of community, where some of the best cookie bakers you can imagine live.
The price for the house is $50,000, which is barely above the estimated $45,000 renovation cost, said Tiffany Sokol, housing director for YNDC, which did the renovation.
“We kept as much of the historical characteristics of the colonial-style home as possible, Sokol said, adding it was built in 1941.
The house had been vacant for at least five years, and had been stripped, making it necessary to redo the plumbing and electrical systems, she said.
Barbara Chamberlain, who lives across the street, said she is “amazed at how well they preserved the place. It didn’t look like it could be done.”
“It’s good for the neighborhood, where we all keep an eye out for each other and get together and have dinner and tea,” Chamberlain said.
Pat Siembieda and Irene Kowal, who live on nearby South Glenellen Avenue, agreed that refurbishing the home is a good idea.
“The YNDC is doing a nice job,” Siembieda said.
“We’re extremely excited about the house renovation project, said John Slanina, president of Rocky Ridge Neighborhood Association, which was founded in 2010.
“The house was empty, but now it is full of life and waiting for a new owner,” he said.
Roughly, the Rocky Ridge Neighborhood is bounded by Mahoning Avenue, South Schenley Avenue, McCollum Road and South Belle Vista, and is basically surrounded by Mill Creek MetroParks.
Slanina said there are two more houses in the neighborhood scheduled for renovation: one on Ridgelawn Avenue and another, the location of which he did not reveal because it is in the acquisition stage.
But, Slanina said, the big thing Rocky Ridge Neighbors is known for is its sugar house, where volunteers make and sell maple syrup in January and February.
“We are completely sold out of this year’s batch, and have made $15,000 selling the syrup over four years, most of which was given to charities,” he said.
“The Rocky Ridge Neighbors are dedicated to building community, marketing our great neighborhood and solving issues of mutual concern,” Slanina said.
“We’re just trying to make our little part of the world a better place. It’s a great experience getting to know all my neighbors, who are authentically wonderful people,” he said.