Lake to River Helps City of Youngstown Secure Funds to Initiate Downtown Reboot Plan

A $50,000 JobsOhio grant coupled with $50,000 in matching funds from the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber Foundation will be used to conduct a strategic reboot plan aimed at positively reshaping Downtown Youngstown's future. The local economic development corporation, Lake to River, championed the funding of the revitalization plan.

JobsOhio is providing assistance in the form of a Pre-Project Planning Grant, part of a program designed to help communities take a project from the idea phase to the implementation phase and to attract future investment, business activity, and jobs as a result. The $50,000 grant designated to the downtown Youngstown revitalization plan is the largest of its kind to have been awarded since JobsOhio launched the program in 2019.

“JobsOhio’s Planning Grant is intended to lift downtown Youngstown in the short term while empowering a local vision that can catalyze future economic success,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. “We and our partners at Lake to River are looking to build on existing relationships to spark more business and activity in the heart of downtown Youngstown for years to come.” 

The City of Youngstown and its downtown businesses and residents will ultimately benefit from the plan’s execution.

“To achieve sustainable, long-term success for our downtown district, it first requires a comprehensive strategic plan that involves broad representation and input from our stakeholders, which is what this project will include,” said Stephanie Gilchrist, director of economic development, City of Youngstown. “We’re appreciative of the collaboration, timely action and funding commitments from JobsOhio and the Regional Chamber Foundation, and we’re excited about the prospects of identifying additional investment sources when it comes time to execute this plan.”

Lake to River, a JobsOhio regional network partner, utilized both its local and state-level connections to emphasize the reboot plan's importance as a first step toward a needed resurgence of economic development in the city.

“This project is the first of what we believe will be many wins in coming months, not just for Lake to River, but for the local business and community leaders who lobbied for our own JobsOhio region,” said Alexa Sweeney Blackann, Lake to River interim CEO. “The Lake to River team leveraged its direct connection to JobsOhio to kickstart the funding and then helped orchestrate the partnerships needed for the required matching funds to make this effort happen.”

The Regional Chamber will co-lead the project by engaging and gathering data from key stakeholders in Downtown Youngstown. Emphasis will be on creating a locally tailored plan, promoting advocacy for incentives and business attraction, and identifying sector gaps for future growth.

"The Regional Chamber Foundation has committed $50,000 to supporting downtown Youngstown's business community, which has faced significant challenges in recent years,” said Guy Coviello, president & CEO, Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber. “We are proud to match JobsOhio's funding to help reboot and transform downtown and look forward to collaborating with partners to foster long-term economic growth."

Local organization Economic Action Group (EAG) developed the “Reboot Strategy/Re-Envision Plan” and will facilitate its execution. Nick Chretien co-founded and serves as executive director of EAG. He also serves as the regional planning and development manager for the Western Reserve Port Authority.

“We look forward to collaborating with local and regional planning partners to develop a strategy that addresses both immediate and long-term needs in Downtown Youngstown,” Chretien said. “By leveraging collective expertise and stakeholder input, we aim to positively shape the future of downtown during this critical time.”

The plan is organized into two phases, starting with developing the re-boot strategy. This phase involves rapidly engaging with on-the-ground businesses and other stakeholders, prioritizing addressing immediate needs to restore confidence and activating downtown through focused programming, utilizing existing assets.

Phase two encompasses the “Downtown Re-Envision” component. Here, EAG will develop a comprehensive long-term vision and action plan to build a vibrant, resilient downtown through strategic investments in people, place-making and sustainable programming, while continuing to build on existing assets. The plan also involves seeking additional funding sources to cover the costs of implementation.

Additional support for this project was provided by the Downtown Revitalization Committee.