A Youngstown committee rejected two proposals for vinyl signs at two properties owned by one of downtown’s major landlords

By David Skolnick | July 6, 2017 at 12:02a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

The Design Review Committee rejected two proposals from NYO Property Group, one of downtown’s major landlords, for vinyl signs on the company-owned Metropolitan Tower and a vacant building at 16 Wick Ave.

NYO officials didn’t show up for Wednesday’s meeting as well as one last month to discuss the proposals.

Committee members said they had concerns about the sign proposal for Metropolitan at 1 W. Federal St. because of its size – 10 feet in height and 50 feet in length – that would have stretched across a space above the fifth floor facing Market Street.

Dominic Marchionda, NYO managing member, told The Vindicator by telephone after the meeting, however, his company asked to be removed from Wednesday’s agenda in order to first discuss with city officials better ways to promote his business and downtown before putting up signs on his buildings.

Bill D’Avignon, committee chairman and the city’s Community Development Agency director, said he didn’t get Marchionda’s request.

“There’s concern that the signs are becoming more of a corporate branding than actual lease signs,” D’Avignon added.

The 16 Wick Ave. building has been empty since March 2015.

In May 2016, the committee ordered NYO to remove older vinyl signs on its Erie Terminal Place apartment building at 112 W. Commerce St. and the vacant Legal Arts Building at 101 Market before putting up signs at 16 Wick Ave.

The issue, committee members said at the time, was the signs on the two buildings were up for 21/2 years when permission was granted for only six months. The company complied.

Marchionda said he wants to talk to D’Avignon and other city officials to discuss options for advertising space at his business’s properties and downtown.

Also, the committee approved improvement plans worth about $800,000 to the McDonald’s restaurant at 570 Fifth Ave., near the Youngstown State University campus, with work expected to be done by late August.

Local McDonald’s officials said they were going to try to keep the restaurant open – at least the drive-through – during the renovations, but it might have to be completely closed for a week.

The work includes new signs, a new facade, improved bathrooms and redoing the drive-through so there are two lanes instead of one.