WARREN, Ohio -- The Trumbull 100 civic and philanthropic organization announced Tuesday that it is placing “special emphasis on projects that revitalize and repopulate Warren’s central city.”
The Trumbull 100 target area is comprised of the Historic Perkins Neighborhood and the 22-square-block area immediately to the east of it, which is the proposed “Garden District” being revitalized by Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership and gregg's gardens.
“These are the city’s oldest and most charming neighborhoods,” says Trumbull 100's president, Diane Sauer. “They are within easy walking distance to downtown, Harding High School, the amphitheater and city parks. While we have seen an increased number of abandoned houses in these neighborhoods over the years -- especially in the proposed Garden District -- they are well worth revitalization and we must make that happen.”
The announcement did not specify what Trumbull 100’s “special emphasis” would entail in terms of funding support. It did, however, note that the organization and the Raymond John Wean Foundation have been working to make Warren more attractive to homebuyers through grants to the Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership and gregg’s gardens.
“We plan to have public meetings very soon with local residents. We have ideas but we want to hear theirs before moving any further along the process,” added Sauer.
To facilitate the community outreach and engagement process, Trumbull 100 has invited the Fund for Our Economic Future to join the initiative. The Fund is a collaboration of philanthropic organizations and individuals that work to strengthen the economic competitiveness of 16 counties in northeast Ohio through grant-making, research and civic engagement.
“The Fund for Our Economic Future helps local communities like Warren to connect to regional assets that can help them address their most pressing economic priorities,” says its director of regional engagement, Chris Thompson.
The central city of Warren is defined roughly as the areas bordered by Mahoning Avenue on the west, Atlantic Street on the north, Elm Road on the east and High Street on the south. It contains more than 800 dwellings and many local institutions, businesses and churches.
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attract growth from the booming shale industry to Warren, but they have options and we can’t expect them to automatically choose us,” Sauer emphasized. “We need to make Warren as attractive to them as we are able to do.”
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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