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City Sets June 22 Groundbreaking for Civic Center
By Dan O'BrienYOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- After a four-year political tug-of-war on how to spend $26.8 million in federal grant money, the city is set to break ground on a new $41 million downtown civic center June 22."I think it's going to be a great day for Youngstown and the area," said First Ward Councilman Artis Gillam. "It's a huge part of rejuvenating the town. If people think Cleveland came back, just watch Youngstown."Architectural plans detailing the structure's look and style were unveiled earlier this week and approved by the city's design review committee. "It's gorgeous," Gillam added.Gillam said Mayor George McKelvey has invited Gov. Bob Taft to join in the groundbreaking ceremony. Other state officials including Sen. Robert Hagan and Rep. Sylvester Patton are also invited to attend, he said. There was no word on whether Taft had accepted the invitation.The announcement this week comes after years of wrangling over how to use a $26.8 million federal grant that was secured by former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant in 2000. Language in the original bill specifically earmarked the funds for a convocation/community center.Last year, the city spent $1.5 million of the grant to purchase 26 acres of land along the Mahoning River between the Market Street and South Avenue bridges downtown without first conducting a formal appraisal of the property. The land however, is compromised by an aging 84-inch sewer line that bisects the upper third of the property, century-old foundations from former steel mills still embedded in the property and a 100-year floodplain. When it was determined more land was needed for the project, plans to construct the convocation center were shifted to include private property along Front Street, near the Market Street bridge to make room for the project. The additional property would have moved the project north of the sewer and free of floodplain issues. Business owners along Front, however, vowed to put up a fight against any attempt from the city to take their property by eminent domain, the process in which a government entity can take private land if it is deemed for the public good. Property owners are usually given fair market value for their land through the process.In February 2003, The Business Journal initiated a series of public records requests regarding the civic center project and the city's purchase of the 26 acres along the river. In September 2003, the newspaper filed suit against the city of Youngstown, McKelvey and Law Director John McNally IV charging the city violated Ohio's open records laws by not providing all the documents the newspaper requested.The suit is now pending before Mahoning County Common Pleas Magistrate Eugene Fehr.The convocation center hit another setback last year when the project's lead developer, FaulknerUSA of Austin, Texas, backed out. Negotiations then started with Global Entertainment Inc. of Phoenix, Ariz., which constructed a 5,500-seat arena in Hidalgo, Texas.In November, the project appeared doomed when an effort to reprogram the money for other development purposes downtown was set in motion. At that time, principals of the Vindicator lobbied U.S. Sens. Mike DeWine and George Voinovich to consider changing the language in the original bill to encompass a wide array of projects downtown instead of a civic center.That attempt fell through, and officials rekindled negotiations with Global. In March, a deal was inked between the city and the development firm to construct a $41 million civic center.The site of the center, however, has shifted closer to the South Avenue bridge, on the southeast corner of Front and Walnut Streets. The new site allows the project to move forward without disturbing the existing Front Street businesses near Market Street. Instead, the city purchased land along Front once occupied by a service station and is in the process of acquiring the former Goodyear Building through eminent domain to make room for the project. It is also close to acquiring additional property controlled by a railroad.The city faces a deadline of September 2005 to substantially complete the project. The new 5,500-seat facility is to include minor league ice hockey, arena football, concerts and other assorted entertainment options.Contact Dan O'Brien at [email protected]"