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Marketing
Initiating and marketing a Downtown brand will build awareness and promote pride in the
community. The brand will be part of a larger marketing campaign that combines attracting
new people to the city as well as interacting with those that regularly attend events.
Determining Downtown’s identity through a message and visuals is a necessary step for
distinguishing Youngstown. Branding will assist in attracting and retaining businesses and
entrepreneurs by articulating Downtown’s competitive advantages and economic assets. This
branding can further support Downtown as a place with low office rental rates, a tech savvy
workforce, and other business incentives. Once the Downtown brand is established, the
Downtown Events Coordinator with the support of the city should maintain the campaign,
actively promoting Downtown as a place to live, work, and play.
Next Steps:
- Coordinate Downtown events with YoungstownLive and local businesses
- Provide website for Downtown events coordinator to monitor and update
- Employ a graphic design agency to draft Downtown branding campaign
- Explore expansion of social media strategy to reach business leaders about relocation and expansion opportunities Downtown and to attract talent Team: CityScape, City IT, Center for Urban and Regional Studies, College of Arts and Communications at YSU, Downtown Business Alliance of Youngstown, Downtown Events Coordinator, Economic and Community Development Agency, Mahoning County Convention and Visitors Bureau, McDonough Museum of Art, Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber[/ Coordinate Downtown events with YoungstownLive and local businesses Provide website for Downtown events coordinator to monitor and update Employ a graphic design agency to draft Downtown branding campaign
Explore expansion of social media strategy to reach business leaders about relocation and expansion opportunities Downtown and to attract talent
Placemaking
Placemaking is the act of people coming together to change overlooked and undervalued
public and shared spaces. Often placemaking and the public realm is overlooked despite how
important it is because it falls outside of department and community organization goals.
As prescribed by Downtown Vision, our model intends to approach a new era of community
and economic development through one lens. Therefore, an emphasis will be placed on
focused efforts that prioritize retention of citizens over attraction as opportunities arise. Arts
and culture are essential components of a thriving, knowledge-based economy. Temporary
activities and permanent installations can animate and enhance Downtown with landscaping,
art, and other methods that encourage interaction.
A healthy creative sector attracts and retains residents and businesses, and produces
economic benefits including jobs, a stronger tax base, Downtown and neighborhood
revitalization, and tourism. Developing effective community branding and organizing cultural
events can be an effective way to increase resident quality of life that honors the historic and
cultural heritage unique to our valley.
Downtown should identify strategic spaces to use art as an economic revitalization tool to
attract investment and better connect vacant segments between existing local shops and
restaurants. Convening local design talent, effective management, and engaging with the
Design and Review Board and Certified Local Government Commission can do this.
Next Steps:
- Identify and prioritize placemaking opportunities, such as Phelps Street and the riverfront Convene designers and artists regularly to employ art as an economic revitalization tool
- Create portfolio of regularly programmed special events with Downtown Events Coordinator, businesses, organizations and artists Team: Center for Urban and Regional Studies, CityScape, College of Arts and Communications at YSU, Downtown Residents Council, Downtown Wellness Community, Economic and Community Development Agency, Friends of the Mahoning River, Mahoning County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Mahoning Valley Historical Society, Youngstown Business Incubator Identify and prioritize placemaking opportunities, such as Phelps Street and the riverfront Convene designers and artists regularly to employ art as an economic revitalization tool Create portfolio of regularly programmed special events with Downtown Events Coordinator, businesses, organizations and artists Wayfinding Wayfinding is the process by which destinations are organized and communicated to those unfamiliar with a location. Wayfinding includes vehicular and pedestrian signs, visitor maps, banners, gateways, and information kiosks. Improved wayfinding through signage would make Downtown and its surroundings more accessible to visitors while increasing a sense of place. Wayfinding is an integrated part of marketing and placemaking. The City approved a “Dig Down” phase by which a plan will be created that will identify important destinations and the location and design of signs. This process will lead to greater community image building that supports marketing and placemaking. Next Steps:
- Actively support “Dig Down” phase of the Wayfinding Signage Plan Determine key corridors to Downtown
- Support ROUTE application prepared by Youngstown Design Works by securing funding for implementation
- Identify and recommend signage that focuses on key commuinity assets/ landmarks and historical districts. Team: City of Youngstown, Signage Committee, Studio Graphique Actively support “Dig Down” phase of the Wayfinding Signage Plan Determine key corridors to Downtown Support ROUTE application prepared by Youngstown Design Works by securing funding for implementation Identify and recommend signage that focuses on key commuinity assets/ landmarks and historical districts