Campaign Goal: $740,000

In 2021, CityScape acquired the city’s last urban greenhouse, the former Briel’s Florist and Greenhouse. Located on Youngstown’s west side in the Garden District neighborhood. CityScape at Briel’s will help us defray costs by growing plants locally while saving this unique community asset. The new venture will serve as a micro-enterprise in an underserved neighborhood, offering a garden center, maker’s mart and gift shop, as well as event/educational programming space. CityScape has assembled the perfect cohort of community partners including the Mahoning County Land Bank and Community Corrections Association, to provide staff and programs that will support economic development, help operate the greenhouse, and serve gardeners city-wide.

CityScape at Briel’s will:

• Supply CityScape with plants reducing our expenses
• Give the Land Bank space to grow native plants to beautify vacant parcels
• Offer job training for CCA’s female clients while they provide a workforce at the greenhouse
• Provide a community resource center with educational events and retail offerings to the community

CityScape at Briel’s is the perfect blend of retail and educational opportunities for people who want to keep their dollars in the city and support local makers and suppliers. To date, CityScape has raised $215,566 to acquire and begin the upgrades to the facility. An additional $540,000 is needed to make repairs and upgrades to the greenhouses, buy needed materials and supplies, and purchase a delivery vehicle.

Campaign Goal:  $2,000,000

Historic Wick Park is Youngstown’s “Central Park,” gifted to the community in 1890 by the Wick Family and sitting on 34 acres of center city land. Since 2008, Youngstown CityScape has been the catalyst for revitalization of this downtown “crown jewel.” Equipped with a list of projects developed through a public planning process, CityScape and the City Parks Department initiated a plan with over $2.8M in recommended improvements. CityScape began securing funding and installed security gating, new sidewalks, and improved lighting. We created corner flower beds with signage, which CityScape staff plant and maintain each year. We raised funds to add amenities including a universally designed playground, and a disk golf course, and worked with YSU to install outdoor fitness equipment. CityScape served as project manager for the Rotary Club of Youngstown’s $400,000 renovation of the Wick Park Recreation Center main hall, dedicated in 2018. Currently, CityScape is securing funding to resurface the running/walking trail and install new signage along the trail.

Wick Park is one of Youngstown’s largest municipally owned parks, and the most widely utilized park by residents of the community, the city, and the region. The park has amenities for physical and recreational activity, but it needs improvements and maintenance. Future plans include:

• Adding new LED lighting to make the park brighter and safer
• Renovating and landscaping the gardens and exterior pavilion
• Conducting a tree inventory and care plan including deep root fertilizing, pruning, and removal of dead/damaged trees
• New planting areas for shade and sun gardens with irrigation systems
• Updating the main entrance and water feature

An operating endowment will help CityScape leverage funding for long-term maintenance that the City of Youngstown cannot afford to undertake.

Campaign Goal:  $300,000

CityScape’s beautiful planters add so much verdant and visual color to downtown Youngstown. Each spring, Streetscape volunteers help fill our planters and CityScape staff water and maintain them for the remainder of the season. Downtown workers, residents, and visitors enjoy our flowers and their changing colors throughout the seasons. But our pots are getting on in years. Many pots date to the early ‘70’s and others are over 15 years old. In 2022, to honor Streetscape’s 25th planting day anniversary, we want to show off new, modern pots to compliment the BUILD/SMART2 Grant upgrades to downtown streets. We are offering “Container Sponsorships” to help us with our vision. New containers will be emblazoned with the CityScape logo and the donor’s name, or in honor/memory of a special individual. New containers will be $1,000 and 200 will replace those currently in use. Don’t think our existing containers will go to waste! The pots that are salvageable will be moved to other parts of the city for neighborhood groups to plant.

Campaign Goal: $360,000

In successful downtown’s nationwide, Special Improvement Districts (SIDs) are an economic development tool used to enhance downtown streetscapes and fund targeted, necessary services such as lighting, sidewalk power washing, and snow removal. Property owners become members of the SID, determine the added services they want, and pay an annual assessment to support the work. In 2019, CityScape engaged ms consultants to begin planning for such an effort locally. CityScape has consolidated $50,000 to date toward this venture. SID funding can also be used to help maintain the significant new plantings on Fifth Avenue, and the proposed Streetscape improvements on Federal, Front, Commerce and Phelps. The Federal DOT grant requires ongoing maintenance to meet the terms of the grant, so now is the time to plan for the future and establish this development tool. Funding is needed for supplies, utility trucks, and utility gators to handle the physical responsibilities as listed above.

Campaign Goal:  $150,000

In 2019, Youngstown CityScape created a special donor society, “The Downtown Difference Makers.” DDM provides another way for supporters to directly sustain CityScape’s operations and special projects and provide CityScape with unrestricted operating dollars. We understand that deep relationships require give and take, and a greater association than simply writing checks. Through DDM, we build connections, making sure that donors are involved and engaged in all that our organization has to offer. To date, 35 individuals and businesses have joined this effort, and we hope to realize our goal of 100 Difference Makers during this year.

Campaign Goal $500,000

Periodically, Youngstown CityScape is presented with investment opportunities to join as a partner in a new venture downtown. Youngstown CityScape’s Finance Committee, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors carefully evaluate the viability of every project we entertain. If factors align, CityScape will provide investment dollars to advance these projects with the idea that the investment will be paid back or provide a long-term revenue stream to be used to fuel downtown development.

Campaign Goal:  $450,000

With the help of generous donors, Youngstown CityScape established an endowment fund with the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley to support new initiatives and provide stability for operational funding. Over the years, our endowment has grown to help create a lasting legacy. Our goal is to significantly increase the size of the Youngstown CityScape endowment. Named funds within the Endowment can be established and directed to a specific project or purpose.