Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. Fixing Historic Property - WKBN


One Youngstown house on Glenwood Avenue has been left to slowly decay, but thanks to some tender loving care by the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, it could soon see new life.

The historic home has been vacant and blighted for many years, and the owner, who lives in Texas, was unresponsive to city code enforcement, according to the City of Youngstown. The city used a legal maneuver called spot blight imminent domain to acquire the property for fair market value, beginning the process in the fall of 2015.

Now, the property will be turned over to the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, which will complete renovation on the property.

Ian Beniston, executive director of YNDC, said although uncommon, the spot blight action method could be used in the future.

“I think this will be a good test case,” he said. “It is a somewhat out of the ordinary property in terms of just being larger and a bigger project. There will probably be more opportunities, more modest.”

Beniston said the property is significant, because with so many historic homes disappearing, the south side is in danger of losing much of its culture.

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