| The Wick Park Model Neighborhood target area is a 36-block community that lies between Youngstown State University and a stable, but threatened, middle-class neighborhood. There have been recent efforts by the university, residents, and the city to improve the neighborhood, but as implementation plans proceed, there is a clear need to organize and educate various groups to create better working relationships, and reduce stereotyping and discrimination. Citizen input has been solicited for this and other community-based efforts, and their active involvement is included in the implementation of the activities and objectives.
During the Civil War, iron and steel became the dominant industry in Youngstown, Ohio. For 100 years, this industry flourished and provided an excellent standard of living for the residents of Youngstown and surrounding communities. The Wick Park Neighborhood was once a place where upper income residents lived to escape the smoke and dirt of this booming industry, and contains large, historically significant homes. Since the steel industry is no longer a presence in the city, new efforts for restoring the community to its previous glory are needed.
The target area is strategically located between the campus of Youngstown State University and a stable middle-class neighborhood, an excellent location for revitalization efforts. Opportunities exist to re-energize the community with neighborhood revitalization efforts that can be coordinated with growth initiatives of the university. These include plans for an industrial park and job creation, a variety of housing options for younger faculty, staff, and students, and especially home ownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income families presently living in the target area. Working closely with the local residents, Youngstown State University will provide the necessary means to accomplish these goals.
With Community Outreach Partnership Center grant money, studies and programs in the areas of housing and neighborhood revitalization, crime prevention, economic development, healthcare, community organization, and outreach evaluation will occur. These efforts will enable the once vibrant neighborhood to rebound from its decline.
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