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By EDMUND J SALATA, P.E.,
<br />Deputy Director of Public
<br />Works and City Engineer,.
<br />Youngstown, Ohio ■ Down-
<br />town Youngstown (pop. 140,000)
<br />is alive and well People are com-
<br />ing - back. Stores that threatened
<br />to leave have Jecided to stay.
<br />Retail sales, byo r barometers, are
<br />up anywhere fr m 10% to 15 %.
<br />Our revitaliza ion was spurred
<br />by completion last fall of the
<br />three -block Youngstown Federal
<br />Plaza. Named fc r the major busi-
<br />ness artery it is n, the plaza was
<br />built with $2 million in bond issue
<br />funds.
<br />Resulting renewal activities are
<br />very much a par nership between
<br />the city and p ivate investment
<br />based on the city's commitment
<br />to its own future, in the form of
<br />the plaza funding. As a result:
<br />■ A private developer has con-
<br />structed a 10 -st ry, 100,000 -sq ft
<br />office building downtown.
<br />■ A major bank ias committed $5
<br />million to expan ion and rehabili-
<br />tation.
<br />Two major department stores
<br />are putting r ioney in their
<br />downtown estal lishments.
<br />■ Local merchai its are fixing up
<br />their stores on t ieir own to make
<br />them more attra tive and in keep-
<br />ing with the newly revitalized city
<br />center.
<br />Over the, past 15 years, several
<br />concepts for a pedestrian mall
<br />along Federal treet had been
<br />proposed. All involved rebuilding
<br />the street 16 feet below grade
<br />through Central Square, with the
<br />plaza extending over the road-
<br />way. These plans called for isolat-
<br />ing pedestrians Irom traffic.
<br />This concept created two major
<br />problems:
<br />First, going underground would
<br />add $2 million t the initial con-
<br />struction price tag.
<br />Second, mz ny operations
<br />housed in the basements of two
<br />banks located oi Central Square
<br />extended out ur der sidewalks.
<br />In addition, construction would
<br />have created hardship for the
<br />other property abutters, the very
<br />people we were trying to help.
<br />For a while ii looked like no
<br />plan was going to succeed. But
<br />under the very active leadership
<br />of Jack C. Hunter, who became
<br />mayor in 1970, a new plan was
<br />proposed.
<br />The alternate plan, prepared by
<br />architects and engineers Glaus,
<br />Pyle, Schomer, Burns and DeHa-
<br />ven, Inc., and landscape architect
<br />James H. Bassett, Inc., called for
<br />renovation .of the Central Square
<br />area of Federal Street with a
<br />plaza -like atmosphere, but would
<br />still allow vehicular traffic.
<br />Under the plan, the median
<br />strip of the square was elongated
<br />and narrowed, allowing for both
<br />.north and south traffic with a
<br />pick -up, drop -off lane on either
<br />side. Crossing points were lo-
<br />cated at two quarter points, and
<br />traffic signs were to be coordi-
<br />nated with intersection signals to
<br />ensure safe crossing.
<br />City officials were enthusiastic
<br />about the plan, but many
<br />businessmen were still making
<br />plans to leave downtown. To get
<br />vital support, at the request of the
<br />city, the architects prepared a
<br />slide presentation spelling out the
<br />virtues of plazas in general and
<br />the. proposed Youngstown plaza
<br />in particular.
<br />After seeing the presentation,
<br />the businessmen realized the
<br />combination plan was practical,
<br />handsome and functional and
<br />that vehicles and pedestrians
<br />could both be served,while retain-
<br />ing the general pedestrian atmo-
<br />sphere. They decided to give it a
<br />chance.
<br />Construction began in Novem-
<br />ber 1973, and the plaza officially
<br />opened in October 1974. Inciden-
<br />tally, for the week -long opening
<br />festivities, local business leaders
<br />raised $70,000 for promotion —
<br />and many of these individuals and
<br />firms were not even located in
<br />the plaza area.
<br />Along the plaza the architects
<br />.used tree -lined curved walkways
<br />of concrete with exposed aggre-
<br />gate surface of paving brick, in-
<br />formal arrangements of pedes-
<br />trian shelters, benches and other
<br />furnishings. Two sculptured
<br />water fountains provide a warm,
<br />personal atmosphere.
<br />A special feature of the plaza is
<br />a sunken amphitheater at the east
<br />end. Measuring 125'x250', it is
<br />large enough to stage such events
<br />as band concerts, style shows and
<br />outdoor exhibits.
<br />Lighted fountains create a
<br />dramatic gateway effect at the
<br />east and west entries to the plaza
<br />off Central Square. People just
<br />come to enjoy the surrounding.
<br />The plaza was one of three pub-
<br />licly financed elements and pre-
<br />requisites that influenced the pri-
<br />vate developer who constructed
<br />Sculptured water fountain creates a gateway effect at the plaza entry off
<br />Youngstown's Central Square. Water flowing over the petal -like shapes
<br />adds a pleasing visual and audible impact.
<br />MARCH 1975 / THE AMERICAN CITY • 67
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