Downtown street closures bring complaints from some businesses

YOUNGSTOWN — Some downtown business owners are complaining about the impact the improvement projects to sections of Market and Federal streets will have on them.

“I think it’s awful,” Anne Massullo Sabella, owner of Avalon Downtown, 17 W. Federal St., said of the project shutting vehicular traffic in front of her restaurant. “Eighty percent of our business is take-out, so it will impact us. People in Youngstown don’t like to walk. They like to pull up to the door and get their food. They won’t be able to do that.”

Business at Silver’s Vogue Shop, 27 W. Federal St., “will be quiet” during the road work, said Barry Silver, the clothing store’s owner.

“Customers come to town looking for a parking space,” he said. “When they see the roads are closed, they just leave. I’ve been down here for over 47 years. I’ve never seen the city close streets as often as they have [in recent years] and disregard businesses.”

Starting today, the city closed Federal Street between Phelps and Walnut streets, and Market Street from Front to Commerce streets.

The streets will be closed until Aug. 26 for resurfacing work.

The first day of work caused traffic backups, particularly on Phelps and Front streets, said Charles Shasho, the city’s deputy director of public works.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com