Earning negative press as a put-America-back-to-work campaign stop, the Ohio city also suffered from reported connections to crime. Now private developers are working alongside Youngstown State to bring people back.
For a long time, downtown Youngstown was a lost cause, victim to classic Rust Belt troubles. "The town never recovered from the demise of the steel industry and also carries a reputation for connections to organized crime. Plenty of skeptics remain regarding the latest small, yet significant steps toward new growth."
Reinvention began tentatively with a university. "The gradual expansion of Youngstown State University is one of the oft-cited reasons for people moving into the downtown corridor, but not all the new residents are tied to the school." The fossil fuels extraction industry is also bringing people back to the area.
Private developers caught on to a possible trend and have begun developing mixed-use projects for the downtown core. "'I'm originally from the area, and as we started seeing the meltdown of the housing market in 2008 we began looking into multifamily opportunities including student housing,' said Mr. [Dominic] Marchionda, chief executive of NYO Property Group in Youngstown."
Redevelopment depends on people coming to live downtown. "The developers agree that the next big piece of the puzzle is a grocery store that could help spur more residential-based development and change perceptions."
FULL STORY: Youngstown, Ohio, Reinvents Its Downtown
How Shrinking Cities Are 'Right Sizing'
Case studies in dealing with population loss from Ohio, Maryland, and Massachusetts.
Rust Belt Cities Shouldn't Demolish Their Way to the Future
In a piece for CityLab, Richey Pipparinen argues that trigger-happy city officials need to slow down their push to demolish homes.
The Dangers of Demolition for Its Own Sake
Jason Hackworth argues that demolition has come to be seen as a good, in and of itself, in rust belt cities like Detroit; giving rise to policies that are wrong-headed and dangerous.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
How Housing as a Financial Product Harms Communities
Institutional buyers who treat housing as an investment product become disconnected from the impacts of higher rents, displacement, and housing instability.
Blinded by the Light: When Brighter Headlights Decrease Safety
Bright LED headlights can create glare and reduce visibility for other drivers and pedestrians.
Study Links Covid and Poor Driving
The effects of the virus, including ‘brain fog,’ can make driving more difficult and dangerous.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service