Response to today’s Vindy article on W Fed St

[Edit: 8/8/2007; since this did not get published before the pivotal meeting Monday, I've asked the Vindicator not to print this. Mr. Conglose showed courage and humility in rescinding some of the items he is quoted in the paper as saying in front of so many during the meeting.]

To: letters@vindy.com
CC: Angie Schmitt
Subject: Urgent letter: W Fed St Plans response

In Saturday’s “City’s plans protested” (http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/305526637206329.php), public works deputy director Carmen Conglose claims that parties opposing the plans to turn the scenic boulevard of West Federal Street into a parking lot are operating from outdated information. This is just one of several fallacies in his claims.

When CityScape was asked to approve the latest plans, they specifically requested that the public be brought into the process before the plans were finalized. This is only happening now, mere days before the project goes to bid. Therefore, a substantial group of citizens, activists, bloggers and West Federal Street business owners (and over 350 signed petitioners) have been urgently getting the word out so people can let the city know that we want to preserve the beautiful median landscaping, which has been lovingly cared for by volunteers on a regular basis.

The city’s current plans for reconstructing West Federal Street are inconsistent with current leading thoughts on city planning and architecture. Dr. Kathleen Wolf of the University of Washington has published research showing that consumer spending on shopping and entertainment activities are significantly higher in areas with trees than without. Additionally, the size and maturity of tree cover on different roads was found to make an impact on the responses of consumers.

Mr. Conglose’s statement that there would be “more green area in this plan than currently exists” is simply incredible. First, the city would have to replace mature shade trees with saplings that would take little less than a generation to reach maturity. Any suggestion that replacing more than a dozen trees lining the center of this scenic boulevard with asphalt and brick would create more green is absurd.

The city claims to add 24 parking spaces. This is a convenient exaggeration. There are currently sixty parking stalls. The new plan shows seventy-two, nine of which are handicapped-only. The increase is therefore only three generally accessible spaces and nine handicapped. In his statement, Mr. Conglose has discounted the thirteen existing 30-minute loading stalls. If truly concerned for ample parking, the city could surely find a way to convert them to regular parking. The city needs to take a long-term look at parking needs.

As the downtown’s revitalization continues to snowball, we’ll need well-placed decks and/or garages, with adequate signage directing cars to them. And as visitors and residents walk from these spaces to their shopping destinations or apartments and condos, they will become familiar with the storefronts that line scenic West Federal and other streets, and their list of shopping destinations will expand. This can’t happen if they pull up directly in front of a business then drive away after.

As for the desires of the business owners on West Federal Street, I have spoken with Jim Cossler of the YBI. Though he stresses the YBI has not taken an official position, he and those with whom he has spoken, including Mike Garvey of M7 Technologies, who’s planning to move part of his business and jobs to and invest millions of dollars in the downtown in the next two years, “think the project is absolutely a huge waste of money with no return on investment”.

Tyler S. Clark
(…) Fifth Ave
Youngstown, OH 44504
(phone)
http://ytownrenaissance.blogspot.com

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