Neighborhoods

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation has acquired a former adult theater in Youngstown with a lot of history.

The Foster Theater on Glenwood Avenue was originally built in 1938 and began as a movie theater. As competition for theaters grew, the Foster transformed into a home for art films and later adult movies.

Dee Barber bought the Foster in 1994 and continued the operation until recently, according to YNDC.

Ian Beniston, the executive director for YNDC, explained the reasoning behind the purchase.

“We bought the building simply because we wanted to make it something productive. We didn’t want it to be a pornographic theater anymore. We’re standing a block from Neighborhood Park,” said Beniston.

YNDC does a lot of work in the same area as the theatre. It’s all part of work to revitalize the greater Glenwood Avenue corridor.

To see the full story from WYTV, click here.

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. purchased the Foster Art Theatre primarily to close the pornographic movie venue.

“Our purpose was to remove the XXX theater along the Glenwood (Avenue) corridor,” said Tiffany Sokol, YNDC’s housing director. “We wanted it gone. We also want to preserve the structure. We don’t have a specific plan yet, but it’s our goal to repurpose the building.”

YNDC purchased the theater at 2504 Glenwood Ave. from Dee Barber, the owner since 1994, for $99,999, she said.

To see the full story from The Vindicator, click here.

Determining a new purpose for a former adult theater on the South Side likely will be a lengthy process, said the executive director of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., the building’s new owner.

 YNDC acquired the Foster Theater property at 2504 Glenwood Ave. on June 9, according to Mahoning County records. 

“This is going to be a fairly long process to figure out what to do with it,” said Ian Beniston. “It’s going to take time.”

YNDC paid $99,999 to buy the shuttered theater from Delores Barber of Youngstown, Beniston said, and received the keys Monday afternoon. The sale price was more than double the last appraised value of the property – $43,050, in 2017 – but he considered removing the property as a venue for X-rated movies “very important.”  

The theater was built in 1938 and reflected “very much of a modern style in terms of the sleek façade on it and all of the materials in the theater itself,” said Bill Lawson, executive director of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society. 

To see the full story from The Business Journal, click here.

Thursday, June 17, 2021

On Wednesday, June 16, Youngstown City Council passed legislation to expand the city’s Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) citywide as outlined in Youngstown’s Housing Conditions Analysis and Strategy to Improve Housing Conditions adopted in March 2021. 

A CRA allows for property tax abatements for homeowners who make major improvements to their property and for developers who build new housing units or renovate existing ones. The purpose of the CRA is to encourage the stabilization and revitalization of neighborhoods through temporary abatements of property tax increases for improvements in eligible areas. 
Expanding the CRA citywide along with other strategies will encourage investment in Youngstown’s housing stock and increase overall housing quality. Big thanks to Mayor Brown, Youngstown City Council, and Youngstown’s Community Planning and Economic Development Department for this important action step. The next step in the process is to submit the necessary documentation to the State of Ohio.

More information on the CRA expansion can be found in the PDF for download below.

Youngstown council agreed to permit the city to purchase a property for $1 from Mill Creek MetroParks and turn it over to the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. for renovation.

Council voted 7-0 Wednesday to obtain the title to 900 Old Furnace Road, which was the longtime home of the Mill Creek superintendent until about 20 years ago.

YNDC plans to renovate the property, Tiffany Sokol, its housing director, said.

“We’re still looking to see the best use,” she said. “We want to do right by the community and we’re taking our time with the property.”

The park system has used the property for storage and office space in the past.

To see the full story from The Vindicator, click here.

Monday, June 21, 2021

On June 15, 2021, the Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley awarded a $107,221 grant to YNDC for the Glenwood Fresh Market (Market).

The Market will be located in a storefront at YNDC’s plaza at 2915 Glenwood Avenue and will provide year-round access to free fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy food items for low-income residents. The Market will also provide space for cooking demonstrations, nutrition education, and health screenings. Big thanks to the Mercy Health Foundation for the support of this project and ongoing support of healthy food access! Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.

About a year before she was born, Lana Shagrin Oyer’s dad welcomed another baby into the world: the Foster Theatre. 

Joe Shagrin opened Youngstown’s first neighborhood theater in 1938 “on a Christmas night to a packed house,” Esther Hamilton wrote in the Youngstown Vindicator in 1955.  

He and his associates reportedly spent $100,000 to build the playhouse at 2504 Glenwood Ave. Now, 82 years later, the dilapidated remnant of a once-prosperous Fosterville was sold for $99,999.

The iconic theater — which until the pandemic showed pornographic films and has fallen into disrepair — will get a second (or perhaps third) life with reinvestment from the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation.

To see the full story from Mahoning Matters, click here.

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Karen has lived in her home for over 17 Years. The roof on her home was severely leaking, causing damage throughout her home.

Due to health challenges, getting the work done on her own did not seem like a possibility. By replacing Karen’s roof, YNDC eliminated the roof leaks and prevented further damage to her home. “Anything is a challenge, you know financially when you are on a fixed income. It was hard to believe they even had a program like this, I think it is wonderful,” Karen said.

Alex Viglio is the Housing Counselor for the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation. Alex implements financial empowerment programming, including outreach, intake, scheduling, file management, counseling of clients, and reporting.

Contact Alex at aviglio@yndc.org. 

Monday, June 28, 2021

On Monday, June 21, the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley awarded a $10,000 grant to YNDC for the renovation of 2915 Glenwood Avenue.

The funds will be used to renovate the vacant retail plaza into a modern retail facility with multiple units for neighborhood serving businesses. This project is part of ongoing efforts to improve the greater Glenwood Avenue corridor. Big thank you to the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley for the support!