When the Liberty Theater first opened its doors in 1918, many claimed it was one of the nicest in the United States. The theater was founded by Christopher Deibel, the manager, and developer of Youngstown's motion picture palace. Liberty Theater was built on top of a civil war era theater. Liberty theater featured a 1'700 seat auditorium and an aquarium in the lobby. The organ for the theater cost $20,000 in 1918 which would be over $300,000 now.The building changed hands for the first time in 1922, when it was sold to the McCrory Department Store Chain, the rumor was that they were to build a skyscraper on the site, but nothing ever came of it. The second change of hands came in 1929 when the Paramount Pictures Corporation purchased the theater. Paramount spent $200,000 restoring the building. The restoration included changing the marque in order to display the theaters' new name, Paramount Theater.In 1933 the building was sold once again to Feiber and Shea, who renovated the theater once again. The building continued to operate until 1976 when the theater closed its doors for good. Many attempts to restore the building occurred throughout the decades. Sadly none were completed, and the building fell further into disrepair. The building was deemed beyond saving in 2013. The city paid $721,000 to demolish the old theater. The restoration was estimated to be over a million dollars. So the historic theater was demoed in 2013, the vacant lot was made into a parking lot.

The Paramount/Liberty Theater shortly before demolition 

Liberty/Paramount Theater before demolition.

A postcard depicting the Liberty Theater circa 1918.

The Liberty Theater opened its doors on February 11th, 1918. The theater was sponsored by Christopher  Deibel, who was the manager and developer of Youngstown's motion picture palace.  The theater was bought by the McCrory department store chain, who allegedly was planning on building a skyscraper on the site. This claim was never acted upon, McCrory went on to sell the building in 1929 to the Paramount Pictures Corporation. The final owners were Feiber and Shea, who purchased the building in 1933, they operated the building until its closure in 1976. The building was demolished in 2013, and in its place, the city put a parking lot. 

Liberty/Paramount Theater (1918-2013)

Walking Youngstown

This tour explores the historic architecture of downtown Youngstown, Ohio. 

Walking Tour

Youngstown's Central Tower Building has been an prominent feature of the downtown since its construction in 1929. Rising 224 feet tall, it was one of the tallest buildings and represented the economic growth of the late 1920s and the willingness of banks to make substantial loans and investments under the assumption of continued economic growth in major industries such as construction, real estate, and railroads. The building changed hands several times in the late 20th and early 21st century and is known today as the Metropolitan Tower. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and remains the tallest building in Youngstown.The building began its life as the Central Tower building. The banking corporation Central Savings and Loan were the original constructors of the building. The Central Savings and Loan Company commissioned Morris W. Scheibel to design the tower and its construction was completed in 1929.The name of the building “Central Tower” remained unchanged until 1976, that year a new banking company Metropolitan Savings and Loan took up residence in the tower. Then in 1980 Metropolitan bought the building outright for a price tag of 2 million dollars. They renamed the tower “Metropolitan Tower” after the company which now owned it. This was not to be the last of the name changes for the old Central Tower. The final name change for the Central Tower Building came in 2007, being renamed to First National Tower. This change occurred because of another buyout, when Metropolitan savings and loan was bought by First National Bank in 1985.

Youngstown's Central Tower Building has been known by several names since its construction in 1929. Originally designed by Morris Scheibel for Central Savings and Loans, the building became the home of Metropolitan Savings and Loan in 1976. Four years later that company purchased the building for $2,000,000 and renamed the building the Metropolitan Tower. The building's name changed again in 2007 when it became First National Tower after Metropolitan Savings and Loan was acquired by First National Bank.

Central Tower Building (First National Tower) Youngstown

The Peggy Ann Building was constructed in the 1930s. Its original owner was the Peggy Ann clothing store. The building was constructed at the corner of Federal and Phelps Street as it was a prime location in Youngstown’s shopping district. The bottom floor of the building was occupied by the Peggy Ann clothing store from the 1930s to the 1960s. Various offices occupied the second story of the building.         	The Peggy Ann Building was designed in an Art Deco style. This style was typical in many early Youngstown buildings; however, this building is significant due to its distinct features. These features include its use of terra cotta and vivid color. It uses both geometric and vegetative features in its front façade.         	The Peggy Ann Building still stands today, maintaining its original purpose of housing Youngstown businesses. The building now holds multiple local businesses, including the Whistle and Keg bar and the Touch the Moon Candy Saloon. The Whistle and Keg features a self-service, pay by the ounce craft beers.

The Peggy Ann Building in Youngstown Ohio was part of the retail boom that occurred during the height of Youngstown's growth. The Peggy Ann Building was built around 1930 and was built to house the Peggy Ann clothing company. The Peggy Ann clothing store operated in this downtown location from the 1930s to the 1960s. The second story of the building was used as office space. The building now holds multiple local businesses including the Whistle and Keg bar and the Touch the Moon Candy Saloon.  

Peggy Ann Building

The Wick Building is the second tallest building in downtown Youngstown Ohio and has a storied history as the home of many different businesses before its current adaption as an apartment complex. The Wick building was financed by George Dennick Wick, designed by Daniel Burnham, and completed in 1910. The Wick building was originally used as the home of the Wick Brothers Trust Company. The Wick family has been an influential family in the Youngstown area throughout its history. George Wick was notable for his involvement the iron and steel industry, which was the lifeblood of Youngstown at the time.The building was acquired by Burdham Bros Inc. in 1969 for $230,000. The building was later renovated from 1988 to 1993 by the Burdham Group in order to sell the property. However amidst scandals from the prospective buyer, the group instead opted to gift the building and its parking lot to the city. The most recent iteration of the Wick building occurred in 2012, when it was converted into apartment buildings. In 2012 the building was sold to Dominic Marchionda of the NYO property group. The original plan was to convert the building into a boutique hotel. The building currently offers 33 apartments and four overnight units.

Youngstown's Wick Building is the second-tallest structure in the city, being bested only by First National Tower. The Wick Building was designed by architect Daniel Burnham and was completed in 1910. The structure was built to house the Wick Brothers Trust Company which was owned by the Wick family who owned several influential businesses in the Youngstown area at the urn-of-the-century. 

Wick Building 

The Wells Building was constructed in 1917 in order to satisfy the commercial needs of downtown Youngstown. Constructed on the site of the Hotel Sherman, the original purpose of the Wells Building was to house retail stores and offices. The original inhabitants were a ladies' clothing store, while the upper story housed various offices. Later in its life the building also housed a recruitment station for the armed forces. The building was transformed into an apartment complex through the efforts of the Strollo Architecture Firm. The firm received $1.8 million in State and Federal tax credits to fund the $5.3 million budget for restoring the vacant building. The apartments opened in 2016, and prices range from $1,050 for a studio to $1,600 for the penthouse suite.'The building was constructed with funding from the estate of Thomas H. Wells, a notable businessman and land developer in the early years of Youngstown. Wells was one of the largest owners of the Youngstown Rolling Mill Company, as well as having ties to the coal industry in the area. Thomas H. Wells was elected mayor of Youngstown in 1863 and was known for his charitable donations. Wells passed away in 1905, twelve years before the completion of this building that was named in his honor.

Youngstown's Wells Building was constructed in 1917 with funding from the estate of Thomas H. Wells, a prominent land developer in Youngstown who was elected mayor in 1863. The building was initially designed to house retail stores on the main floor, and offices on the floors above. The building was originally home to a ladies' clothing store. In later years, the building was home to an armed forces recruitment station. In 2016 the Strollo Architecture firm remodeled the building into a modern apartment complex.

Wells Building 

The Erie Terminal Building, constructed in 1923, was designed as a dual-purpose office building/railroad terminal. The building shows the deep roots that the railroad industry had in Youngstown. Youngstown was the only city between New York and Chicago where 4 trunk lines (main rail lines) converged. Local Architect Paul Boucherle designed the building. The Erie Terminal Building received financial backing from George. N. Harmony, as well as the Erie Railroad Company. The Erie Terminal Building served two purposes throughout its lifetime. For one, it was a major terminal for the Erie Railroad/Erie-Lackawanna Railway during the height of passenger train use. The building also served as office buildings for the Erie Railroad Company as well as other local businesses. This style of building was copied by Cleveland’s Terminal Tower, constructed 8 years after the Erie Terminal Building, which also housed both offices and a passenger terminal. The Erie Terminal Building continued to house both offices and the terminal until 1976 when the building was left vacant. The Erie Terminal building now houses apartments for Youngstown citizens. This project was developed by Dominic Marchionda who purchased the building in 2011 for $740,000. The restoration project was completed in August of 2012. Turning what was once a vacant building into a community hub.

The Erie Terminal Building was built to act as both a train terminal and a multi-level office complex. The terminal was constructed in 1923 by the Erie Railroad Company during a time in which Youngstown was a hub of railroad activity. The building functioned throughout the decades until it was decommissioned in 1976. The building now functions as an apartment complex for Youngstown Residents after being renovated in 2012. 

Erie Terminal Building/Commerce Plaza Building 

The Ohio One Building was built in 1931, the original name for the building was the Ohio Edison Building. The Ohio Edison Building was constructed as the headquarters for the Ohio Edison Company. The Ohio Edison Company was formed in 1930 after the population of Youngstown spiked by 125,000 from 1900 to 1930. The company was a consolidation of various Youngstown electric companies that had to be combined after the aforementioned population spike.  The Ohio Edison Company occupied the building for the next 44 years. The building was then sold to its current owner, the Ohio One Company, which is where the building derives its current name. The Ohio One Company is a Youngstown based realty company that specializes in Mahoning County commercial real-estate.  The most notable part of the Ohio One Building is the large neon sign that is displayed on the top of the building. The neon sign was put up by the Ohio Edison Company when the building was first erected; it displayed the name of the company and could be switched from white to red. When the Ohio One Company acquired the building, they repurposed the sign to their company name. The Ohio One Building still stands today despite the urban renewal program that demolished many historic buildings east of Market Street.

The Ohio One Building was built in 1931 by the Ohio Edison Company. The building was initially named the Ohio Edison Building, after the aforementioned company. The Ohio Edison Company was an electricity provider in Youngstown that was formed after consolidating many smaller companies into the Ohio Edison Company to serve the growing Youngstown community. The building was purchased by its current owner, the Ohio One Company, in 1975. The Ohio One Company still occupies the building today. The most notable architectural aspect of the building is the large neon sign displayed on the top of the building, which was originally commissioned by the Ohio Edison Company, and was later adopted by the Ohio One Company. 

Ohio One Building 

The Realty Building has been a fixture of the Youngstown skyline since its construction in 1924. The building was designed by local architect Morris W. Scheibel, notable for also designing the Central Tower Building. Scheibel designed the building for the Realty Guarantee and Trust Company; the company paid $500,000 in 1923 to pay for the construction of the building.         The building stood until 1955 with minimal changes; however, in 1955, a storm blew in to Youngstown, causing gale-force winds. These winds ripped nearly the entire roof off of the Realty Building, scattering debris throughout East Federal Street. This incident caused upwards of $50,000 in damages to Youngstown. The next significant change for the Realty Building would come in 1961 when William Cafaro and Marvin T. Itts purchased the building and soaked $200,000 into a renovation. The renovation included the installation of automatic elevators, a deep cleaning of the brick surrounding the building as well as constructing a new entrance.         The Realty Building, like many historic Youngstown buildings, has been remade into an apartment complex. The building was purchased in 2000 by developer Lou Frangos in order to be turned into apartments. However, this plan was tabled until 2008 when the renovations formally began. The renovation was completed in 2009,turning the building into a 23-unit apartment complex, once again serving the Youngstown community.

The Realty Building was designed by famed local architect Morris W. Scheibel, notable for also designing the Central Tower Building. The Realty Guarantee and Trust Company commissioned the building, and construction was completed in 1924. One of the most notable events in the building's past came in 1955. In 1955 gale-force winds blew into Youngstown, ripping nearly the entire roof off, as well as causing $50,000 in damages due to falling debris. The Realty Building is now a 23-unit apartment complex after being renovated in 2009, continuing to serve the Youngstown community. 

Realty Building 

The Mahoning County Courthouse serves as a reminder of Youngstown's ambition throughout the years. The current Mahoning County Courthouse is actually the third courthouse to be built in the county. The first of the three courthouse's was completed in 1848 the same year Mahoning county was established. Youngstown then battled for the county seat of Mahoning county and built the second courthouse after winning the seat in 1876. After the second courthouse began falling into disrepair the current Mahoning county courthouse, the one pictured above, was constructed in 1910.Construction on the courthouse began in 1907. The referendum to build the new courthouse was voted on in 1906 and won by a vote total of 5,518 to 4,660, a budget of $1,000,000 was decided upon. The lead architect for the building was a man by the name of Charles F Owsley, who was the son of the man who had built the first courthouse in the county Charles H Owsley. The new Mahoning county courthouse was pitched as the "finest courthouse between New York and Chicago" and to the officials credit they spared no expense. The total cost of the courthouse afters its completion was $1,904,424 almost a million dollars over budget.The building slowly modernized until 1985 when an ambitious restoration project attempted to restore the building to its former glory. In total the renovations cost $8,000,000 this arduous process involved removing the false surfaces that had be installed throughout the decades as well as installing an entirely new HVAC system and cleaning and retouching murals found in the courthouse. The restoration took 6 years, however because of the diligence done by the construction teams the building now stands at its former glory.

Completed in 1910 in Youngstown Ohio, this courthouse was considered a point of pride for the county. Costing the city $1,904,424 the Mahoning County Courthouse went over its original budget of $1,000,000. The building stood with minor changes until 1985 when it was voted to be restored. The restoration took 6 years and cost $8,000,000 an effort to return the building to its former glory. 

Mahoning County Courthouse 

The history of Youngstown and
the Mahoning Valley region is inextricably linked to the iron and steel
industry.&nbsp;In 1803, the Valley’s first blast furnace was built--the same year that Ohio became a state.&nbsp;Mahoning Valley would later become a&nbsp;leading steel producing region. Byt the 1970s, however, the steel industry in the area&nbsp;declined and most of the&nbsp;mills in the area have&nbsp;closed.

An effort to create a museum&nbsp;to&nbsp;preserve and share the history of the&nbsp;iron and steel
industry in Youngstown began in the 1980s.&nbsp;The building was designed by renowned architect Michael Graves and the new&nbsp;museum building was officially
dedicated in 1992. This museum houses permanent exhibits which preserve the
history of the iron and steel industry which dominated the Youngstown area’s
economic life in the 20th century. The permanent exhibit named “By the Sweat of Their Brow:Forging
the Steel Valley", which includes&nbsp;explores labor, immigration and urban history, using videos,
artifacts, photographs, and reconstructed scenes."The Youngstown Historical Center
of Industry and Labor also offers a variety of&nbsp;educational programs and operates a&nbsp;library and archive that is open to the public.
The archive&nbsp;serves as a repository for local government records, manuscripts collections, and records of&nbsp;companies, individuals,&nbsp;and labor organizations related to the iron and steel
industries in North East Ohio. The center is part of the&nbsp;Ohio
Network of American History Research Centers.

Operated by the Ohio Historical Society and Youngstown State University, this museum preserves the history of the steel industry that once dominated the regional economy. The museum traces its origins back to the 1970s when local officials lobbied for the creation of a museum to the region's industrial heritage. The museum opened in 1986 after the state legislature set aside $3 million three years prior. The center's permanent exhibit is titled "By the Sweat of Their Brow: Forging the Steel Valley." As the name suggests, it not only examines the business of steel-making but the workers and the communities they made.

Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor

The Warner Theater was opened on May 14, 1931, by the Warner family. The Warner family is famous for the motion picture organization, Warner Brothers. The Warner family settled in Youngstown in 1895, initially owning a myriad of businesses, such as selling items like bicycles, soap, and ice cream, the family also owned a butcher shop. In the early 1900s, the family purchased a projector and began traveling across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and other neighboring states. In 1918 the family moved to California and established a production company. The family continued to either purchase or build movie theaters, among them was the Warner Theater in Youngstown in 1931.  The Warner Theater was constructed in memory of the Warner brothers parents as well as their brother Samuel Warner who had passed away in 1927. `The theater was designed by the Chicago architecture group C. W. and George L. Rapp. The Heller Brother’s construction company constructed the theater for a price of $1,500,000.  On February 28, 1968, the theater played its last movie, Bonnie and Clyde, to a packed house. The theater had to close due to dwindling attendance. The theater was slated to be demolished, an auction was held on September 21, 1968, and the building was saved by Youngstown couple Edward and Alice Powers, who donated $250,000 to make the building the permanent home of the Youngstown Symphony. The theater was renamed the Powers Auditorium, the building was renovated for the symphony at a price of $750,000. Powers Auditorium held its first show on September 20, 1969; the Powers Auditorium now stands as the centerpiece of the Deyor Performing Arts Center.

Warner Theater, now known as the Powers Auditorium, opened on May 14th, 1931. The theater derives its name from the Warner family who created the movie production company "Warner Brothers." The two brothers named the theater to honor their late brother Samuel and their parents. The Warner Theater operated until February 28th, 1968, when it played its last movie, "Bonnie and Clyde." The building was slated to be demolished, but local couple Edward and Alice Powers donated $250,000 and others in the community rallied to save the building and make it the permanent home of the Youngstown Symphony. The building was renovated for the symphony at a price of $750,000. The theater was renamed to honor the Powers family for their support and the symphony held their first performance in their new home on September 20th, 1969. The building continues to serve the community by holding live performances of the city's symphony and other  events.

Warner Theater/ Powers Auditorium 

The State Theater was built on the site of another historic theater, the lot on which the State Theater stands formerly held the Orpheum Theater, constructed in 1915. The State Theater was constructed in 1927, standing as one of the most technologically advanced theaters of its time. The State Theater had the latest in motion picture technology as well as installing Movietone equipment to produce sound in the theater in 1927. The building was designed by architect Charles W. Bates and engineer William M. Cook. The theater was placed on West Federal Street as it was the heart of Youngstown’s commercial district at the time.  The State Theater operated as a movie theater until 1970, when the building was closed for its intended purpose as a movie theater. The building was renovated and re-opened on October 20, 1974, as the Tomorrow Club, a rock-n-roll themed night club. The Tomorrow Club went under on December 22, 1978, giving way to a new venue called The Agora. The Agora was also a rock-n-roll themed venue; however, the Agora catered more towards concerts than as a club experience. The Agora was host to many famous acts over its lifetime. Artists such as RUSH, AC/DC, KISS, The Runaways, Heart, and The Ramones, to name a few. The Agora closed its doors on July 23, 1982; this came rather abruptly due to dwindling attendance as well as vandalism in the area caused by concert goers.  The State Theater continued to house various venues for the rest of the 1980s, including a Civic Center, a Hard Rock venue known as the Starr Theater, the Starr Theater was replaced by the Starr Palace. The Starr Palace hosted a showcase for R&amp;B, blues, jazz, hip-hop, and soul groups in late 1986. The theater closed for good in 1988 after all the various venues went defunct. The State Theater was demolished in 2008 after being vacant for 30 years. The only remnant of the State Theater is its front facade, saved during demolition, which can still be seen today.

The State Theater was constructed in 1927, built on the location of the Orpheum Theater, which stood on that location since 1915. The theater was designed by architect Charles W. Bates, standing as one of the most technologically advanced theaters of its time. After construction, the theater was equipped with a Movietone sound system. The theater stopped showing movies in 1970; in 1974, the building opened as "Tomorrow Club," a rock-n-roll night club. This club transitioned into the Agora, a venue that specialized in rock-n-roll concerts. The Agora had famous acts such as RUSH, AC/DC, KISS, The Runaways, Heart, and The Ramones. The theater continued to transition throughout the 1980s when it transitioned from a Civic Center to a Hard Rock venue known as the Starr Theater,  and an RnB venue, known as the Starr Palace.  The State Theater was demolished in 2008 after being vacant for 30 years. The only remnant of the State Theater is its front facade, saved during demolition, which can still be seen today. 

State Theater (1928-2008)

When the Liberty Theater first opened its doors in 1918, many claimed it was one of the nicest in the United States. The theater was founded by Christopher Deibel, the manager, and developer of Youngstown's motion picture palace. Liberty Theater was built on top of a civil war era theater. Liberty theater featured a 1'700 seat auditorium and an aquarium in the lobby. The organ for the theater cost $20,000 in 1918 which would be over $300,000 now. The building changed hands for the first time in 1922, when it was sold to the McCrory Department Store Chain, the rumor was that they were to build a skyscraper on the site, but nothing ever came of it. The second change of hands came in 1929 when the Paramount Pictures Corporation purchased the theater. Paramount spent $200,000 restoring the building. The restoration included changing the marque in order to display the theaters' new name, Paramount Theater. In 1933 the building was sold once again to Feiber and Shea, who renovated the theater once again. The building continued to operate until 1976 when the theater closed its doors for good. Many attempts to restore the building occurred throughout the decades. Sadly none were completed, and the building fell further into disrepair. The building was deemed beyond saving in 2013. The city paid $721,000 to demolish the old theater. The restoration was estimated to be over a million dollars. So the historic theater was demoed in 2013, the vacant lot was made into a parking lot.

The Youngstown, B&amp;O terminal was constructed in 1905 at a cost of $70,000. The terminal stands as a physical reminder of Youngstown's connection to the railroad. In 1925, for example, Youngstown was the place where the four largest rail lines in the Midwest converged.The B&amp;O railroad company acquired its first line in Youngstown in 1891-92 and opened the city to supplies and transport from Chicago to Washington. The construction of a terminal in the city was of paramount importance it gave a greater convenience to hundreds Youngstown area passengers traveling from Washington or Chicago.The newly constructed railroad terminal featured many modern conveniences for the time. For example, an underground tunnel connection to the eastbound track and a water powered elevator that allowed for the baggage handlers to move luggage from lower tracks to higher tracks with minimal effort. The terminal also saw use with one of the fastest high-speed trains at the time. Including a train known as the “Capital Limited” this train saw famous passengers such as Andrew Carnegie and Herbert Hoover.The Terminal saw its decline in the 1950s when the rise of automobiles slowly decimated the railroad industry. The station continued to operate until the mid-1970s when they converted it into an office for staff working for B&amp;O. The building closed its doors in 1981, they stayed closed until 2001 when the building was converted into its current form. The terminal now has two new purposes, it functions as a banquet hall for local events and as a home for the Rust Belt Brewing Company.

Youngstown's Baltimore and Ohio Railroad station was built in 1905 to supply the many Youngstown residents traveling between Washington, Baltimore an Chicago. Constructed at a cost of $70,000, the terminal is located on a curve in the track overlooking the Mahoning River and downtown Youngstown. The terminal was the central hub of travel until the 1950s when the railroad industry started declining as more Americans traveled by bus or private automobile. Thanks to preservationists and local citizens, the historic terminal has been restored and continues to serve the community as a banquet hall. 

Walking Youngstown

Liberty/Paramount Theater (1918-2013)

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources