WFMJ Covers Youngstown Blog Movement

Last night, on the 6 o'clock news, WFMJ ran a brief story on the Youngstown blog phenomenon. A number of sites were mentioned, including Youngstown Pride, Defend Youngstown, and the Mayor's blog. Our own Mighty Mahoning was even shown briefly on screen. I wasn't contacted about this story (nor would I expect to have been), but a few of my fellow bloggers were and had the chance to offer their input. Defend Youngstown's Phil Kidd was even interviewed on camera.

Obviously, I'm happy about all of this. It's great to see the online movement get some press. Letting people know about these sites and what they represent can, hopefully, help spread the wave of positivity that's starting to gain momentum around the city. Despite the progress that Youngstown is making, we still have a long way to go- and a positive attitude about what's going on and where we're heading is an incredibly important part of the long-term solution.

I honestly do believe in the aforementioned "wave of positivity," by the way. Look at what's been going on in the debate about the median strips on Federal Street. Regardless of how you feel about the issue (I happen to be on the side of keeping the green space intact- i find it ironic that we're known for one of the largest city parks in the country but have next to no green space at all downtown), you have to be happy that people actually care about it- and care about it enough to cause a controversy. As Mangino said on 570 the other day, it's refreshing to see that this is even an issue- that Youngstowners care about downtown enough to want to make sure that it looks nice and that there's enough parking downtown to accommodate everyone who they truly believe will come down there for different events.

We're continuing to hear mixed reviews about what's going on downtown. For example, although the WWE events that recently took place in the Chevy Centre have been praised as a huge success, the arena continues to lose money. People are coming downtown, though- I was at the Italian Fest on Friday and saw a pretty good crowd (one that was, as I've heard, dwarfed the following night by the crowd that came down to hear Dom Tocco and the Brotherhood, that most Youngstown of bands). The Italian Fest actually moved back to downtown from the Canfield Fairgrounds- something I never thought I'd see. As the radio promos for the SteelHounds are fond of saying, "something's howling down on Front Street" and throughout the downtown area.

The local media is also picking up on this. I've criticized the Vindicator for its anti-Youngstown agenda (and, I still feel, rightly so), but local TV and radio is doing a much better job at helping advance the city's resurgence. WYTV (Channel 33), for example, recently built a studio downtown with glass walls that look out toward the street, and they frequently cover positive, semi-newsworthy events in the city (like a recent beer tasting event at the Youngstown Club)- the type of things the Vindicator only covers if they happen in Boardman. 570 WKBN's morning and evening drive time shows have also done a nice job of balancing coverage of the city, of the surrounding areas, and of national issues (despite callers' best efforts to steer every conversation toward what's happening at GM and Delphi).

What's going on around the city right now is great. It's particularly exciting to see so many young people (many of whom had parents that moved away from the city years ago) get involved and get passionate about the city. That's what it's going to take. Okay, admittedly, it will take more than just that- but that's the crucial first piece we've been missing for decades. I'm glad to be a part of this movement.

Friday Night Downtown

If you were hoping to spend tonight in downtown Youngstown (and frankly, why wouldn't you be?), then, well, you picked a good night.

Tonight, Friday the 13th, the Mahoning Valley Thunder take on the Albany Conquest down at the Chevy Center (excuse me, the Chevy Centre). The Albany Conquest, oddly enough, have Youngstown native and former Ursuline standout Chris Curd on their roster. Prior to the game, there will be a tailgate party downtown as well.

Later in the evening, the downtown Buffalo Wild Wings will be hosting another "Party on the Plaza," which is always a good time.

So, if you're looking for something fun to do tonight, come downtown.

By the way, there's a new t-shirt design over at Defend Youngstown, with two more to come in the near future. Show your support and order one (or one of each of the new designs, and also the existing design in all available colors. Also, there's a limited edition St. Patrick's Day version done up in green and gold too- if you can find one of those, grab one for me, too.)

City Spotlight: Downtown Draught House

Today's post is the first in a new series of entries entitled "City Spotlight," where we'll highlight different places around Youngstown. We'll start with the Downtown Draught House.

Downtown Draught House
219 West Federal Street
Youngstown, Ohio
www.myspace.com/downtowndraughthouse

The Downtown Draught House (or, as it is sometimes known, "the D-House" or "the D") is a central part of nightlife in downtown Youngstown. Having been downtown for years, it's developed a loyal following, and was a popular spot long before downtown's recent revitalization.

The Draught House has a lot to offer- cheap beer, a central location, and a laid-back, dive-type atmosphere. It's a true Youngstown bar, filled with pictures an memorabilia from YSU, the SteelHounds, and the local professional teams as well as old black-and-white photos from Youngstown's past. This is the place where a religious icon-style portrait of Jim Traficant once hung over the bar and where, according to A&E's City Confidential, Paul Gains was followed home from on the night he was shot. There's clearly a lot of history here, as the building is obviously an old one and one that has witnessed a lot of change in Youngstown.

I'm not sure what the building's original purpose was, but it's clear that it's been a bar for quite some time. It's divided into two parts- the front, facing Federal Street, with pool tables, old arcade games, and booths, and the back, with the impressively large and ornate wooden bar (featuring inlaid stained glass depicting the YSU, OSU, Steelers, and Pittsburgh Penguins logos) and a few tables along one side. The place has changed a little in the last few years- some of the decorations and wall hangings have been changed, which has altered the feel of the place just slightly. It's also become the post-game hangout for die-hard SteelHounds fans (although you'll find a few at the nearby Buffalo Wild Wings, too). Most notably, believe it or not, is the impact that the Smoke-Free Ohio legislation has had on the place. Before the bill passed, the Draught House was like the inside of an old Brier Hill blast furnace, and drinking there was the health equivalent of working in the coal mines. Although there was a certain charm to it, it's nice that the air is clear inside the bar and you can spend a few minutes there without having to burn your clothes when you get home.

The Draught House offers 16 beers on tap and a wide range of microbrewery and import selections (some of which are hard to find elsewhere in town) that are cheap even by Youngstown standards. There is a kitchen, too, offering wings, fries, and burgers, but forgive me for not having sampled the cuisine myself.

With trendier places like Core and Imbibe popping up downtown, the Draught House is somewhat of a relic. However, that's not a bad thing. It's a place that still embodies a lot about the spirit of the city and will likely continue to be a popular late-night destination for years to come. As many would agree, your last drink of the night should always be at the D.

So, support Youngstown and raise a pint at the Draught House.

Weekend in Review

As those of you who were in town over the weekend know, the Youngstown area experienced a pretty severe storm on Friday evening. The storm knocked down trees and power lines all over the area and damaged a number of homes, cars, and other property.

We were getting prepared to leave from Cleveland to go down to Youngstown about 4 o'clock on Friday when I first heard about the storm. There was severe weather all over Northeast Ohio, so the local Cleveland news, including WKYC, broke into their normal programming to track the storms around Akron, Canton, and Youngstown. The weather around Austintown and Youngstown's North Side was by far the most severe and was the focus of the broadcast. Things were so bad, apparently, that the weatherperson actually encouraged viewers to call their friends and family in the Youngstown area and tell them to get inside and into their basements. I called my own parents, who live on the North Side, and they were already downstairs. It was actually sort of entertaining to hear the forecaster refer to some specific and uniquely Youngstown places that were popping up on the computer system- she'd obviously never heard of Brier Hill, McGuffey Center- and I doubt most of the viewers had, either.

The storm moved quickly enough that we were able to leave Cleveland before 5 and take the turnpike to Youngstown. Part of Route 11 was blocked off because of a downed tree, so we got off at 46 and went through Austintown. This gave us a chance to check out some of the damage, since by then, the storm had already passed. Austintown was pretty bad, with a ton of debris in the roads and obvious damage to yards, trees, and property. Going through the West Side near Mill Creek Park, things were even worse, with trees uprooted in almost every yard and large amounts of debris in the streets. The North Side was slightly better, but going up Fifth Avenue past Wick Park, there were a number of large, obviously old trees ripped right out of the ground. Although it may sound a little silly, it always bums me out when old trees are lost to storms, especially on the North Side. Those trees are some of the last remaining symbols of the "majesty" of the old North Side.

The fallout from the storm lasted all weekend, with trees being chopped up and removed, power being restored, and other projects being done to clean up the mess. Unfortunately, the power was out at Mill Creek Park for the entire weekend, which led to a number of graduation parties and other events that were supposed to be held at the Rose Garden complex and other spots being canceled or moved elsewhere.

I attended one such graduation party on Sunday, which was moved from the park to Overture- the new restaurant attached to the DeYor Center. Although I had been to Powers since the restaurant went up, it was the first time I'd been inside. It's a nice venue. I was particularly impressed with the outdoor section, which faces the Home Savings building. The weather on Sunday was great, and it gave people the opportunity to hang around outside and even walk around downtown.

I've heard a lot of stories from friends and family about how downtown Youngstown used to be something really special. Being down there on Sunday afternoon, I had a chance to sort of imagine what that might have been like. It's been a while since I was able to walk around downtown in broad daylight, too. The daylight, of course, is particularly harsh on Youngstown, since you can see every crack in the sidewalk, every broken window, and every abandoned building. However, it was the first time in as long as I can remember that I felt really optimistic as I walked around there- I could point to a lot of the buildings- the State Theatre, the Paramount, the Realty Building- and know there was a legitimate plan in store for restoration or improvement. Plus, those buildings that are new- the courthouses, the Voinovich building- look great. Granted, I'm much more "Pro-Yo" than most, but I couldn't help but feel really good about downtown in the daytime (which is admittedly very different from downtown at night, which has already made some great strides.) If you don't share my optimism, I can understand- we've certainly been let down in the past- but honestly, things are really looking good down there.

Temping in the Yo

The following article was posted on the Something Awful website yesterday. It's a short piece documenting the author's experiences temping at the downtown SkyBank in (where else?) Youngstown:

Adventures in Temping, Vol. I, by Bob Mackey

Party on the Plaza

Party on the Plaza returns this Friday night at the downtown Buffalo Wild Wings, and will likely take place every other Friday for the duration of the summer, as it usually does. It's still going strong- there's always a good crowd down there, weather permitting- so the novelty has yet to really wear off.

The downtown Buffalo Wild Wings (which most still refer to as "B-Dubs") is actually a pretty good spot year round. Some nights, it's packed, and other nights, it's dead, but its almost always a good time. There's always some interesting local color there (despite the fact that it's a chain), and it's probably one of the best places in town to catch the ballgame, with it's multiple projection screen TVs and its full bar-food menu. The prices are a little on the high side compared to other places in town (and they seem to have been climbing slightly in the last couple of years), but they're still "Youngstown" prices.

The bar's best asset, though, is its location- central, easy to get to, plenty of parking, and it also offers you the opportunity to hop to and from some of the other bars downtown. The usual itinerary is to start the night at B-Dubs and then, after midnight, head over to the Downtown Draught House, the real king of the downtown bars. More on that another time.

Buffalo Wild Wings
50 Federal Plaza
Youngstown, OH 44503
330-744-2999

More on Downtown Revitalization

According to YoungstownPride, the Paramount Theatre may have been purchased by a company in Illinois, who plans to restore and eventually reopen the venue. This is the latest development in the long history of a legendary structure in downtown Youngstown. Rumors have been floating around for a while about the Paramount, with as many hinting at it being demolished as it being restored. This news, if true, is exciting for a number of reasons.

Any development downtown is essentially positive, as it brings people, money, and safety downtown. New development, like the new courthouse and the Chevy Center, brings a sense of new life and new energy. However, the restoration of an old landmark downtown is perhaps even better. Not only does it bring many of the same benefits as new development, but it also establishes a link to the city's past and, in figurative terms, wipes away some of the tarnish on the city's reputation.

Assuming that the Paramount Theatre is used for plays, movies, and concerts, its restoration will add to downtown's growing cultural and artistic vibe. With the Chevy Center, Powers, and the Paramount as venues for performance (along with Cedar's, that perennial haven for artistic souls), downtown Youngstown will finally reclaim an identity for itself beyond that of an apocalyptic nightmare where only late-century Ursuline graduates dare tread.

As always, though, this is Youngstown we are talking about- a city whose motto should read, "Hope for the best- but expect the worst."

City as Suburb

Another entry from YoungstownPride mentions an article on Youngstown's possible future as a "bedroom community" for Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Location, of course, makes this a possibility (although it is a significant distance from either city when it comes to a daily commute). Having not read the article myself, I cannot comment on it directly. However, it would seem to me that a major hole in this argument would be the decline of the entire region in which Youngstown finds itself. Cleveland and Pittsburgh (along with nearby places like Buffalo, Wheeling, and Detroit) are all in an extended decline. The populations continue to shrink- I believe Columbus was the only city in Ohio to actually gain population last year- while jobs and businesses move out of the urban centers. The decay has spread outward from the cities and into once-renowned places such as Shaker Heights, East Cleveland, and, to a lesser extent, Euclid. Therefore, a growing "white-flight"-related migration to Youngstown seems fairly unlikely at this point. One of the main reasons people move to these "bedroom communities" is because they want to stay near the city, but not too close to the city. The problem, though, is that no one wants to really stay near the cities in question anymore. Especially for most young people in this region, it's down south and out west- not an hour from Mom and Dad's. In fact, it seems more likely that this type of thing would happen in a place like Gary, Indiana (as young people- many from the Youngstown area- continue to flock to Chicago) than it does for Youngstown.

Whether or not I'm correct about the paragraph above, one thing to remember is that the future of Youngstown is still inevitably tied to the future of the entire region (and most closely to that of Cleveland and Pittsburgh), a future which looks pretty bleak at this stage. Plus, the absolute disaster that is state government in Ohio only makes things worse for Cleveland and Youngstown. That being said, Youngstown still has the opportunity to carve out a niche as a unique place all its own. Whether or not that opportunity is taken is the question at hand.