Programs & Projects

CityScape’s tale began in 1997 and grew from city stakeholders’ efforts to revitalize a broken, blighted downtown. A popular annual downtown planting/clean-up event, “Streetscape Day,” led to the formation of Youngstown CityScape in 2004 with its mission of beautification, education, and preservation for downtown Youngstown.

In 2014, Wick Neighbors, Inc. merged into CityScape, layering the added mission to preserve a plan for downtown’s Smoky Hollow neighborhood and advancing the redesign of Wick Avenue. Youngstown CityScape has emerged as the center city community development corporation dedicated to delivering an attractive working and living environment, improving infrastructure, adding unique amenities, and creating a sense of place.

All the projects you see pictured, from infrastructure improvements on Wick Avenue and in Wick Park, to public art installations, from holiday lighting and events to cigarette recycling bins, from planters, pots and garden bunkers full of flowers to new street trees were either created by Youngstown Cityscape, or CityScape was a partner in the planning and implementation. Youngstown CityScape brings downtown alive!

Streetscape

Streetscape is our major annual, volunteer event.  The event began in 1998 and continues to grow each year. The campaign begins in March and the event is always the first Saturday after Memorial Day. In  2024 nearly 1,000 volunteers planted, pruned, mulched, and beautified the city in one day!

CityScape at Briel’s

In 2021, CityScape acquired the city’s last urban greenhouse, the former Briel’s located on Youngstown’s west side in the Rocky Ridge neighborhood.

CityScape at Briel’s will help us defray costs by growing plants locally while saving a unique community asset. This new venture will also serve as a micro-enterprise in an underserved neighborhood, offering a garden center, maker’s market, and gift shop, as well as event/educational programming space.

We are in the throws of raising the funds necessary to renovate the 100 year old structure. Check out our progress!

Wick Park Imrovement Projects

Since 2008, CityScape and its partners have raised over $925K for improvements to Wick Park. This has included new corner landscaping and signage, street and sidewalk improvements, security gates, a playground, exercise equipment stations, a 9-hole disc golf course and $400K renovation of the pavilion.

Holiday Parade, Christmas Tree Lighting, and Sparkle Youngstown

CityScape has been the driving force in  bringing back the annual Holiday Parade tradition and spearhead the downtown Christmas Tree lighting. We coordinate the entire event in partnership with the City of Youngstown and various downtown stakeholders. We also raise the funds and install thousands of lights in trees all over downtown to make Youngstown sparkle during the cold winter months.

Public Art

CityScape has partnered with other community organizations for public art projects such as the State Theatre Mural Project, the Andrews Avenue Mural Project and the beautiful Downtown Art Boxes covering electrical equipment.

Wick Avenue Renovation

Youngstown CityScape has also undertaken corridor improvement projects. A primary project was the Wick Avenue Improvement Project which was conceived in conjunction with Congressman Tim Ryan’s 2009 Pedestrian Safety roadway configuration project. The project area ran along Wick Avenue from Wood Street on the south to the Route 422 Service Road on the north. The Andrews Foundation committed $63,000 for engineering design, and CityScape entered into a contract for engineering services with CT Consultants in early 2015. This work has now evolved into the $10.8 million BUILD Smart2 Corridor Project, in which CityScape serves as a partner organization.

CityScape Sidewalk Squad

As downtown continues to grow, so too do the service needs of its public spaces. The Youngstown CityScape Sidewalk Squad is a program designed to keep downtown looking ‘clean and green’ year-round. This includes maintenance of all annual Streetscape planting day locations (green) as well as addressing trash/litter (clean) and other quality of life issues.

Downtown Amenities & Services

One of CityScape’s goals is to add quality of life perks to our city. For example, we’ve added a pet clean up station, cigarette disposal units, and artistic bike racks downtown.

CityScape maintains all the landscaped areas throughout the greater downtown area. We also partner with the City of Youngstown and CCA to address issues such as trash removal.

Central Square Historic Markers

In partnership with the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, CityScape installed four markers providing historical and architectural information about Youngstown’s Central Square and its cornerstone buildings and monuments.

Self-Guided Walking Tours

CityScape developed self-guided walking tour signs in five locations throughout downtown. The signs tell the history of the location. There is also a QR code which you can scan for information about current plans, projects, and information.

Downtown Youngstown Partnership

The Downtown Youngstown Partnership (DYP) is a component of Youngstown CityScape. It is a stakeholders group which meets quarterly to discuss news, projects, and events happening downtown. The group also conducts service projects and helps organize Happy Birthday Youngstown, an annual event.

For more details: Email adam@youngstowncityscape.com

Downtown Volunteer Work Days

CityScape hosts regular Downtown Volunteer Workday events in which different projects or tasks are completed by individuals or groups. The Workday events are held on Saturday mornings, typically from 10am-12pm. For more information contact Adam at adam@youngstowncityscape.com, or sign up for email notifications by clicking the button below.

Downtown Youngstown Discount Card

Each year Youngstown CityScape produces and distributes the Downtown Discount Card which offers discounts to 20 different restaurants and venues throughout the city. The card can be used repeatedly throughout the year.

Evergreens for Everyone

Our downtown tree sponsorship program is a terrific way community members and businesses can provide long-lasting impact. Sponsors get recognition on a planter plaque next to their tree, but more importantly, once the season is over these small evergreen trees are planted on city lots in partnership with the County Land Bank to reforest our community.

Become a Sponsor or Donate Today!

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