Someone in Mahoning Valley Has Style March 29, 2006
Posted by themahoningreview in Uncategorized.trackback
If you missed the Vindicators Business section today, one of Austintown's own was declared the "Ultimate Style Guy." Mike Fox of Austintown sent an essay entry into Stuff magazine, (sorta like Maxim Light,) a magazine for the man who has stopped reading Playboy for the "articles." With little memory of what he actually wrote his essay about, Mr. Fox won a tricked out brand new Mercury Milan and other prizes worth about $130,000.
I tried to find his essay on the Stuff website, but could not find any mention of it, maybe it will be in a future issue, since he was just presented with the car this week. I am interested to see what style is in the mind of an Austintown man in his early 20's. I will be sure to publish it here If I run accross the article.
Style is an interesting thing. I think thats partly what has us clogged up in the Mahoning Valley, we have lost what our style is or should be. Downtown Youngstown is trying to improve its style by opening up Federal Street again and bringing in the Convocation Center. Downtown Warren is always trying to keep its style a bit old fashioned with its venerable, stately Courthouse Square, but is it at a cost to the downtown merchants with lots of vacant storefronts there as well. What should be our style here in the Mahoning Valley? Industrial blue collar has been in steady decline, are we still trapped in the style of meat and potatoes and local sports? Are we ready to develop a new style yet? It is going to be interesting to see who wins out on a Friday night, local college and high school football, or a big event at the Chevrolet Center.
What are your thoughts? Do we have a current style? Do we need a new style? What should that new style be and how can we get there? I look forward to your comments.
regarding the “style” of the re-done Federal Street in downtown, there are a few faux pas that I wish they may correct the next time around. Four observations:
1 - too much concrete. grey is not a slimming color.
2 - exposed electrical box in front of the man on the monument statue. Isn’t there a place to hide this? Is there a place at least to side instead of in the middle?
3 - tiny little benches. not very functional without backing.
4 - lack of brick. brick is expensive, but cool.
I think to we should encourage the style to come back to Federal Street. Get some of those urban design students from Kent State in there for a studio, and if you are an engineering team doing construction, get a design expert on your staff. The signage on a lot of the businesses look shabby as well, but the truth for it all I guess, is that there is only so much one can afford.
Still, some additional design consideration would be nice. Once they make a building or rip out the medians, we are going to have to live with it for at least 40 years. It’s best to design now before we grow to dislike our new surroundings.
ps. I’m sick of bad dye-jobs as well. Either go natural, or get rid of those roots.