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Heidi Hanni saddened by move from father’s law office
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Photo by William D. Lewis
REMINISCING: Atty. Heidi Hanni looks over photos of her late father, Atty. Don L. Hanni Jr., with world and national leaders, on the walls of his office at 219 W. Boardman St. in downtown Youngstown. Unable to meet high building-maintenance and utility costs there, the Hanni law firm is moving to Boardman today.
The building was a thriving law office and Democratic Party headquarters.
YOUNGSTOWN — Unable to keep up with high building- maintenance and utility costs, the Hanni law firm is moving out of its downtown office and relocating to Boardman today.
In doing so, it is leaving behind fond memories of the 37,000-square-foot, 1937-vintage building, which housed the office of Atty. Don L. Hanni Jr.
The late Atty. Hanni practiced law there for about 37 years until shortly before his death in July 2008 at age 82. The two-story brick structure at 219 W. Boardman St. once housed 15 lawyers.
Originally an Arthur Murray dance studio, the building was the headquarters of the Mahoning County Democratic Party while Hanni was party chairman from 1978 to 1994.
His daughter, Atty. Heidi Hanni, who practiced law there with him for seven years, said the building is in “dire need” of major repairs, and its gas bills for the upstairs law offices run as high as $1,200 a month.
“It needs a new roof. It needs new windows. The plumbing system is shot. The electrical is shot. And right now, you know, in this economy, financially we can’t afford to renovate it,” Hanni said.
She said, however, the office has substantial sentimental value. “It’s breaking my heart” to close it, she said.
Hanni said she and Attys. Shelli Ellen Freeze and Justin Malmfeldt are relocating to 1714 Boardman-Poland Road under the name “Hanni Law.”
Atty. Jeff Kurz will remain downtown, relocating his office to a West Federal Street address, Hanni said.
Hanni reminisced about her father in a Friday interview in his second-floor office, whose walls remained adorned with photos showing him with a who’s who of world and national leaders during his long career as a lawyer and political activist.
“This has only been the third time I’ve been in this office since he passed away. I have had a hard time even coming in here,” she said.
She added she hopes eventually to renovate the building and reopen it, possibly as a downstairs pub called the Bull Moose Tavern, bearing her father’s nickname and displaying his memorabilia, with student apartments upstairs.
milliken@vindy.com
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Comments
There are no vacant offices in any downtown buildings to move into? Thanks for abandoning downtown for the burbs!
This is a case of poor property management, not errors of the building. Dire need" translates to 37 years of disrepair and neglect. Keeping every last cent of profit away from repair and insulation. All buildings eventually need new roofs and new windows. What more could a 72 year old building ask for. What more could a city need than another vacant building with owners unwilling to do the upkeep that all buildings require.
This is a sad story about a historical building. I wonder who owns it. I can't find any info. on the auditor's site. Is anyone paying property taxes.
I agree with the above.... Why abandon downtown?
Sue: On Auditor's site start your low 'value' at the top with 207 and enter your high at 227 and you'll get this. My guess is that 219 is within 217 W Boardman:
21 W BOARDMAN ST MAH COUNTY JAIL & OFFICE LOT 73 & 1473 65 X 139.2
530020043000 213 W BOARDMAN ST WORLD PARKING U S A LLC LOT 1476 47 X 87 IRR
530020045000 217 W BOARDMAN ST COLWYN BAY LAND COMPANY LOT 91 EAST 33 X 137
530020075000 220 W BOARDMAN ST THE YOUNGSTOWN CENTRAL LOT 33 30 X 137
530020071000 222 W BOARDMAN ST BALLET WESTERN RESERVE LOT 31 WEST 45 X 137
530020070000 226 W BOARDMAN ST BEGALLA WILLIAM S LOT 30 30 X 137
530020045000 217 W BOARDMAN ST COLWYN BAY LAND COMPANY LOT 91 EAST 33 X 137
That's the one. On that property's page, click "Transfer" and you can see that ownership was transferred from Don Hanni to this land company in 2005.
Abandon downtown for the following reasons:
1. Lack of ample free parking.
2. 2.75% Local income tax rate.
3. Public-owned housing projects causing vagrants to always loiter in vicinity.
4. Few modern buildings. Most existing buildings downtown are relics that get poor energy efficiency.
5. Virtually no retail establishments nearby. All that there is nearby is "Public Market."
6.http://www.city-data.com/zips/44503.html
5. Virtually no retail establishments nearby. All that there is nearby is "Public Market."
Actually, a thriving community theater with regular capacity audiences is right across the street, along with a dance studio that is packed with students (and their thirsty/hungry parents) every evening. Between the actors, tech crew, audiences, parents, and volunteers and staff in this building alone, there is a built-in patron base right there. Not to mention the Youngstown Business Incubator, Turning Technologies, Vindicator, City Hall, Police Department, and YMHA, all of which are located within a block.