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Federal Street Reopens As Youngstown Cheers
"By George NelsonYOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- About 15 years ago, Artis Gillam recalled, a newspaper reporter asked what he saw as Youngstown's problem. "I told him the problem we have here in Youngstown is self-image," the city's First Ward councilman said at ceremonies yesterday marking the reopening of Federal Street downtown. "I'm hoping that this will help us with our self-image."With entertainment provided by the Chaney High School Chorale and the Plazateer Marching Band, city leaders hailed the reopening of Federal Street to vehicular traffic. Federal Street had been closed to vehicles crossing Market Street since the installation of the pedestrian plaza in the 1974, which "represented our past," said Mayor George McKelvey."The completion of this $2.9 million project represents an investment in the future of our central city," the mayor continued. Federal Street's reopening represents improvements in the appearance of downtown's main street, traffic flow and parking, he added.McKelvey cited several individuals in making the reopening possible, including Gillam and the other members of City Council, former Congressman James A. Traficant Jr., who he credited with providing nearly three-quarters of the funding for the project, and state officials, including Julie Michael Smith of the Ohio Department of Development. The mayor also predicted the Federal Street ceremony would be the first of many such events in the city over the coming year. "This is a wonderful crowd but I'm sure we'll need four or five tents when we -- and I said when, not if -- when we cut the ribbon for the convocation center," McKelvey declared. "Hear that loud and clear -- we so much look forward to that."Gillam noted that "this is going to be a beautiful town," and praised WKBN-AM talk radio host Dan Rivers and The Business Journal for their efforts promoting downtown. McKelvey said the city went to state officials for funding help when its request for money was rejected in 2003 by the Mahoning County Public Works Commission. "That money was decided to be better spent on a drainage ditch in another community as a more important project than reopening our Federal Street," he reflected, "but we're not going to dwell on that." The state ultimately provided $500,000 for the project, he said.The state Department of Development usually gets involved with infrastructure and roadwork projects focusing on industrial parks or works with manufacturing companies, Smith said. However, she said she said she was surprised at the feedback she received -- not only from city officials, but also from the downtown business community -- regarding the importance of the project. "There was an economic development aspect in that it would benefit the businesses that are currently located here as well as hopefully draw additional trade to downtown" related to the arts, retail or services, she said. "It made it really critical for us to play a role to make it happen." Several of those on hand for the celebration expressed their optimism regarding the reopening of Federal Street and what it may mean for downtown."From a historical standpoint it looks back the way it was, which is a cool look," said Bob Barko, owner of Steel Town Studios on Phelps Street.Thomas Humphries, president of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, which maintains its main office downtown, observed that it "looks like a real downtown again" and predicted that the new configuration will help fill downtown storefronts. "A lot of the office buildings have people in them, but the storefronts on the first level have been vacated for so long," the chamber president remarked. "This gives us the opportunity to get people in that first floor."The Rev. Edward Noga, pastor of St. Patrick's Church near downtown, said that the improved traffic flow and parking will increase appeal for people coming downtown for events at Powers Auditorium and, later this month, First Night Youngstown. "I just think it benefits everybody, and there's more and more people coming down here all the time,' Noga said. While looking forward to the increased traffic flow on Federal Street itself, McKelvey said he doesn't want to see vehicles parked anymore on the pedestrian spaces."I was patient until they completed the work and got the barrels rearranged," he said. "I'm going to be over on this plaza personally towing cars of anybody who pulls a car on this plaza."Contact George Nelson at [email protected]"