Youngstown design panel OKs fence for Valley Food, mural of slice of pizza for Avalon
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YOUNGSTOWN -- After giving Valley Food Systems 30 days to come up with an alternative to concrete barriers surrounding its parking lot, the city's design review committee approved a 610-linear-foot, 6-foot-high, black vinyl-coated chain-link fence for the East Federal Street business.
Even that approval, given Tuesday, drew concerns from some members of the committee, which asked for landscaping or a green buffer surrounding parts of the fence. Valley Food will have to return to the committee at some point to provide information about landscaping.
Jay Crafton, a committee member, said: "A chain-link fence with a green buffer is a little more softer and attractive when you're so close and associated with the central business district."
Linda Giambattista, Valley Food's chief operations officer, said concrete surrounds nearly all of the parking lot and it would be too expensive to dig it up to plant flowers.
Giambattista said: "I don't know how I would possibly get plants on a concrete surface. It's difficult to dig up concrete and put in plants unless I put pots of plants, which you do have in your downtown area, which I like."
Giambattista's offer to install planters around the property was supported by the committee.
Giambattista asked why the fence that her business plans to install follows 90% of the committee guidelines, but a location nearby has a fence with "a bright blue awning on it. I'm trying to understand why that is being allowed, but I'm not allowed to have this simple fence. I don't see any greenery and I don't see a black or a silver chain-link fence. I see a bright blue awning on it."
Crafton said that business possibly installed that fence prior to the committee having certain requirements.
Giambattista said: "I understand what you're trying to do about beautifying downtown. But if that's the goal and that's the point, then why are people being held to different standards? That's what I don't understand. If that's really your goal, to say, 'We want Youngstown to look consistent and more beautiful,' but yet mine has to adhere to these guidelines, but someone across the street does not."
Also, Crafton said a smaller man-gate (smaller walkthrough gate) was needed in case of emergency to get people away from or into the building at 461 E. Federal St.
Crafton also questioned if the location of the 20-foot gate may make it difficult for firetrucks to get to the building.
Giambattista said she would look into that to "make sure we're doing the right thing."
The committee declined on Feb. 2, 2021, to approve Valley Food's request to erect a 360-linear-foot chain-link fence with barbed wire on the top to prevent theft of vehicle parts and other items.
Valley Food dropped the request and in June put up the concrete barriers in the parking lot without city approval.
At the July 7 committee meeting, Giambattista said the barriers were erected because customers from a nearby bar used it for parking without permission and truckers were using it as a rest stop.
The food manufacturing company, which uses an advanced thermal processing method for shelf-stable, ready-made meals, works with the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency and the National Guard, as well as private companies.
OTHER BUSINESS
The committee on Tuesday also approved a two-story mural that depicts a slice of Brier Hill pizza on the rear of Avalon Downtown Pizza, 17 W. Federal St., with the wording: "Brier Hill -- the official slice of Youngstown."
Pat McGlone, an artist who has painted several murals in Youngstown, particularly in downtown, said the mural would draw attention to the business' rear entrance.
McGlone said: "It serves a purpose as well as being a really cool piece."
Committee members said the size of the mural -- with a part of it being painted onto the rear of OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children's Center for Science & Technology with its permission -- is too big. But they voted in favor because the location is at the back of the business in a parking lot and doesn't face West Federal Street, the main downtown road.
McGlone said: "There's two things. We wanted to maybe go for the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest slice of pizza painted and kind of create; I don't know, I feel like Youngstown's known for pizza so if we had that, that would be cool. I think that's something that is almost something that the city should identify as and host pizza festivals. That's a whole brand in itself."
McGlone also received permission to paint new signs on the Choffin Career & Technical Center, 200 E. Wood St., and at the Youngstown Business Incubator at 99 Vindicator Square.
The committee approved recommending a $17,653 facade grant for Coy Cornelius and Judy Rodgers Studios LLC, 1931 Belmont Ave., for various exterior improvements.
The total project's cost is $35,306.
With this project, the city's design review committee has authorized 66 businesses to receive grants from the facade grant program.
City council in December 2022 approved setting aside $1 million of Youngstown's $82.7 million in American Rescue Plan funds for the business facade program. It allows eligible companies to receive 50% of the cost, up to $20,000 each, to help pay for the cost of exterior improvements.
To get the grants, companies have to obtain permission from the design review committee. Companies must show they are paying at least half of the cost of the work being done.
The facade grants are forgivable loans with a five-year term. Every year a business remains open at its location in the city, 20% of the loan is forgiven until it reaches 100% in five years.