Marchionda no longer driver of downtown project, but still 'on the bus'

YOUNGSTOWN

Concern from others about his indictment led Dominic Marchionda to voluntarily resign as manager of the company connected to the downtown DoubleTree Hotel project.

“The project isn’t about me,” he told The Vindicator Friday. “It’s about what it does for the community. I am still in management. I am still very much a part of the program. I am still very involved. I might not be the chauffeur, but I am on the bus.”

George Pantelidis of Pan Brothers Associates Inc., a New York City-based real-estate services firm that is partnered with Marchionda’s NYO Property Group to develop the hotel, is now manager of Youngstown Stambaugh Holdings, according to documents dated Nov. 15 delivered to the city. The Vindicator obtained the documents Friday.

Pantelidis was not available to comment Friday.

In October, a Mahoning County grand jury indicted Marchionda on 102 criminal counts, including theft, tampering with money records and laundering.

After the indictment, through his attorney, John F. McCaffrey, Marchionda rejected the state’s characterization of his redevelopment projects and efforts as “Ponzi schemes” and said he plans to defend his years of development work in court.

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