Center for Urban and Regional Studies

Graphic Design by Youngstown Design Works

September 2015

Funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration

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TABLE OF CONTENTS TOC

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

CHAPTER 1

Economic Development Plan Goals and Objectives

1. Create an environment that encourages and supports entrepreneurial and innovative activity

2. Continue to pursue specialized training facilities to fill the workforce gaps in local industries

3. Create an Anchor Institution Consortium to develop a unified vision for economic development and neighborhood improvement initiatives

4. Create Pathways to promote growth of existing businesses

5. Continue to develop the city core as a distinct neighborhood and an economic and cultural focal point.

6. Increase Economic Development in city neighborhoods

7. Invest in Corridor and Infrastructure Upgrades

CHAPTER 2

Research—Studies and Data

1. Overview of the current Youngstown Economic Development Environment

A. Indicators of economic climate i. Advanced Manufacturingii. Transportation and logisticsiii. Natural Resourcesiv. Education, Workforce

Training and Laborv. Health Carevi. Land and Building Spacevii. Amenitiesviii. Finance and Incentivesix. Perception

B. Demographics C. Economic Development Organizations

2. Original Research comparing Youngstown to the Nation

A. Cluster Analysis summary B. Peer City Analysis summary

3. Projects completed to develop a new vision for Youngstown

A. Downtown Visioning and Tactical Implementation Plan summary'B. Opportunity Sites for Development C. Marketing and Branding Plan summary

CHAPTER 3

Recommended projects for future funding

CONCLUSION

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TABLE OF CONTENTS TOC

APPENDIX

1. SWOT Analysis

2. Top Site Selection Factors

3. Assets of the City

4. Surveys

A. YSU Employee survey

B. Mercy Health Care Employee Survey

5. Online links to references in Goals

6. Contributors

7. Cluster Analysis

8. Peer City Analysis

9. Downtown Vision and Tactical Implementation Plan

10. Marketing Plan

11. Opportunity Sites Catalog

T H E O P P O R T U N I T I E SI N Y O U N G S T O W NC A N C H A N G ET H E M A H O N I N GV A L L E YF O R E V E R

INTRODUCTION

Opportunity in Youngstown

OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNGSTOWN LIES IN ITS PEOPLE, PLACES, AND CULTURES

The Mahoning Valley’s competitive assets are

found in its people, places and products. The

people and the arts, culture and environment

are strengths and opportunities from which

to grow and thrive. It is from identifying,

marketing and growing our assets that the

economy will flourish and the character of

Youngstown will continue to transform into

a place known for education, commerce,

entertainment and connections. The future

of Youngstown need not be defined from its

past, but by carrying forward its industrious

legacy and expanding it into a new, innovative

economy, Youngstown can thrive as a “maker city”.

This study, funded by the United States

Department of Commerce, Economic

Development Administration and a partnership

between Youngstown State University and

the City of Youngstown, will provide key

data and recommendations for the city,

enabling leadership to identify and prioritize

investments in the community. A marketing

project has been completed through this study

identifying how the city can best connect

assets with investors, visitors, and residents

alike. The creation of an on-going economic

action group for city economic improvements

will keep responsible parties accountable for

continued action. And the recommendation

of a task force formed by the major anchor

institutions could fold together the city’s

largest employers with a common vision for

investing in key projects in the community.

Change is happening in Youngstown. The

downtown has had approximately twenty

new development projects take place in the

last five years alone. Millions of dollars are

being infused into the local economy, and

millions more are planned. The key is to keep

the momentum going. Progress must be

monitored and supported; supported not only

by government investment, but also supported

by the people who live, work and play in

Youngstown. A healthy city core will radiate

and spread throughout the rest of the city and

into the entire Valley, creating a new image

and economy for the entire region. The core

of the city is where the region’s economy and

population originally grew from, and it’s also

where disinvestment began, which shook the

entire region for decades. It is from the core

that a rebirth of this region can begin again.

N O W Y O U C A N B U I L D I TB E T T E RF A S T E RE A S I E RI N Y O U N G S T O W N

BACKGROUND OF GRANT HISTORY + CONTRIBUTORS

The Background of this Grant In October 2013 Youngstown

State University in partnership

with the City of Youngstown

was approved for a two-

year Economic Adjustment

grant from the Economic

Development Administration.

Youngstown State University contributing and key staff:

Dr. Ronald Chordas,

Executive Director, Center for Urban

and Regional Studies

Thomas Finnerty, Associate Director,

Center for Urban and Regional

Studies

Rachel McCartney, Principal

Investigator, Economic Development

Research Analyst, Center for Urban

and Regional Studies

Dr. Frank Akpadock, Senior Research

Economist/Regional Scientist/

Economic Development, Center for

Urban and Regional Studies

Dr. Thomas Maraffa, Ph.D

Professor Emeritus of Geography

Robert J Thompson, Assistant

Professor, Graphic & Interactive

Design, Youngstown State University

The purpose was to develop

an economic development

strategy for the city to learn

about, and take advantage

of, Youngstown’s local

competitive advantages.

YSU’s Center for Urban and

Dominic Marchionda, University-City

Planning Coordinator, Center for

Urban and Regional Studies

John Bralich, Research Associate III/

Senior GIS Manager, Data Services

Manager, Center for Urban and

Regional Studies -provided maps

and data

Jacqueline Taylor, Research

Economist, Center for Urban and

Regional Studies

Nick Chretien, Student Intern

Jordan Wolfe, Student Intern

Regional Studies provided

the staffing to research and

write the strategy, with in-kind

contributions from staff from

the City of Youngstown.

City of Youngstown contributing and key staff:

Mayor John McNally

T. Sharon Woodberry, Director

of Economic Development and

Community Development

Bill D’Avignon, Director of Community Development#

Tom DeAngelo, Program Management/Compliance#

Rick Deak, Computer Center CIO#

Rick Alcorn, Network Support Analyst#

Michael McGiffin, Downtown Events and Citywide Special Projects#

T H E P E O P L ET H EP L A C E ST H E A R T ST H E C U L T U R ET H EF U T U R E

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Meet the challenges of the 21st Century The Economic Development Plan for the city of Youngstown is the latest step in its evolution from the poster child of a declining Rust Belt city to one that is evolving to successfully meet the challenges of the 21st century. This plan, part of a two year project funded by the US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, presents goals and objectives to guide the economic development of the city for the years ahead. The rich history of Youngstown informs this plan; nonetheless an overriding theme is that the future of Youngstown must not be defined by its past.

This planning process is the natural extension of Youngstown 2010 which first recognized the realities of Youngstown as a shrinking city. Like the 2010 plan, this project was a full partnership between the city and Youngstown State University, a partnership that will continue to define the future of both. Moreover this plan incorporates and builds on recent successes such as the creation of AmericaMakes, the designation of the TechBelt, and the growth of the Youngstown Business Incubator. The plan recognizes the revitalization of both the central business district and city neighborhoods, spurred by organizations such as CityScape, the Economic Action Group and the Youngstown

Neighborhood Development Corporation, as well as a renewed region-wide commitment of major private and non-profit entities to the future of the city.

This plan is the product of extensive research which included interviews, surveys, and identification of best practices from other cities. As part of the development of the plan, data was compiled on fundamental demographic and economic characteristics, economic development organizations in the city and region, and an assessment of the assets of the city and challenges related to its economic development. In concert with this plan, two research projects were completed to further the understanding of Youngstown’s economy—a cluster analysis to identify economic sectors with the greatest potential to spur economic development and a peer city analysis of the Youngstown Central Business District.

Three other projects were simultaneously produced; the recommendations from which are incorporated into the economic development plan itself—The Downtown Visioning and Tactical Implementation Plan; the Commercial and Industrial Inventory of Opportunity Sites; and the proposed Marketing Plan for the City of Youngstown.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The current demographics of Youngstown reflect its recent economic history. The collapse of the steel industry in the 1970’s and the overall decline in manufacturing reversed decades of growth and altered the demographic structure of the city. As in most US cities, population was also lost as families migrated to surrounding suburbs. Youngstown has a population that is less than 40% of its peak population of 170,000, is older, less educated, less skilled, and poorer than most comparable cities in the state, region and nation. Youngstown is faced with the challenge of funding economic development efforts in the face of a declining tax revenue base and growing demand for both basic city services and those targeted to the special needs of its citizens. One significant challenge for the city is to address issues related to high crime rates and an ineffective public school system that are connected to its shortage of financial resources.

This project identified over a dozen organizations in the city and region whose mission was largely or in part to promote economic development. The city of Youngstown itself has an office and staff dedicated to economic development and the city works with state and federal agencies to secure economic development funds. There are also several local foundations which frequently support projects tied to economic development efforts. These organizations support economic development through direct investment, completion of specific projects, support for entrepreneurs, promotion of opportunities in the city and region, grant writing, and workforce training. It is also clear that while these organizations have collectively and individually benefitted the city and region, their impact could be multiplied by greater collaboration and a more unified strategic focus.

Despite its demographic and economic challenges, Youngstown has a wealth of assets to draw from to help achieve its economic development goals, including a central location to regional and national markets, access to highway,

rail, and air transportation systems, abundant water supply, a traditional central business district, and land and buildings available for development at low cost both in the downtown and along principal corridors. These tangible assets are complemented by cultural amenities such as theaters, arenas and parks not typically found in cities of its size. Finally, Youngstown has in place the foundations of key sectors of 21st century economic development including a world class business incubator, an emerging reputation as a Maker City, a regional university with strengths in the STEM disciplines; major health care and health education facilities, and a growing community college that emphasizes workforce development.

National surveys of site selection factors confirm that Youngstown’s strengths in transportation and logistics, occupancy and construction costs, land and building availability, recreation and health care are among those most desired by businesses in their locational decision making.

Two studies were commissioned as part of this project. The first was a cluster analysis to identify sectors that should be targets of the city’s economic development efforts based on potential for future growth, relative concentration, and existing presence in the city. These sectors included advanced materials, arts, entertainment and visitor activities, business and financial services, education and knowledge creation, and health care and social services. In addition to the findings of this analysis, we identified two additional sectors which have received much support over the recent years; additive manufacturing and local foods. The second study was an analysis of the Youngstown central business district in relation to a set of peer cities. This study found that while the central business district of Youngstown lagged behind that of the peer cities on most indicators, it has the potential to evolve to those levels with sustained, focused and effective strategies.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The economic development plan itself is comprised of seven goals and steps for the implementation of each goal. The first four goals provide strategies for the city as whole. • Create an environment that encourages and

supports entrepreneurial and innovative activity

• Continue to pursue specialized trainingfacilities to fill the workforce gaps in the local economy

• Create an Anchor Institution Consortiumto develop a unified vision for economic development and neighborhood improvement initiatives

• Create pathways to promote the growth ofexisting businesses.

The final three goals focus on the central business district, the neighborhoods of Youngstown and its major corridors.

• Continue to develop the city core as a distinctneighborhood and an economic and cultural focal point.

• Increase economic development in cityneighborhoods

• Invest in corridor and infrastructure upgrades.

The implementation of the goals involve the creation of data bases to support economic development, improving access to information, investment in infrastructure and the physical appearance of the city, collaboration between organizations, and seeking and obtaining funds for specific projects. The implementation of several of the strategies is already underway. Many of the implementation strategies can be achieved in a short period of time, while others are years from completion.

To continue the progress the city is currently experiencing, it is critical that leadership both inside and outside of the government come together to prioritize the commitment to working together, being accountable, and collaboratively develop funding of projects which will build on and improve the foundation of the economy and change the perception of the city. Often times we have been our own worst enemy, but as a new generation dedicates themselves to their hometown and sees their future in the city, perceptions will change and an economy will be built on the strength of the past and the ideas of the future.