Decision on closing Phelps Street expected by July

YOUNGSTOWN

City officials expect to have a decision by early July as to whether to permanently close a downtown street to vehicular traffic and make it a pedestrian mall.

About 75 people attended a Wednesday public meeting at the Covelli Centre’s Youngstown State University Community Room to hear the proposal for North Phelps Street between West Federal and West Commerce streets and to give their input. Most of those who spoke at the meeting support the idea.

“I’ve been through the ups and downs of downtown, and it’s good to see this,” said James Gentile, an attorney with an office on the corner of North Phelps and West Commerce. “We’re behind it 100 percent. It’s another stage in the rebirth of Youngstown. We’re all for it.”

Mark Worsencroft – whose company, Justice League Restaurants, owns Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts on North Phelps and is planning to open a German beer house next door this fall – said, “We are in favor of this. It will help the business corridor and bring more businesses to the downtown area.”

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