YOUNGSTOWN - Downtown Youngstown construction is inching closer to being finished with the recent paving of North Hazel Street to Phelps Street.

The $26,000,000 project is focused on modernizing the area to make it safer and more appealing.

“Now we have walking paths that are larger, bike riding, and bike sharing spaces so it makes it safer for the pedestrians and the consumers that are coming downtown,” Stephanie Gilchrist, Director of Economic Development for the City of Youngstown said. 

The project also includes installing more traffic lights, constructing landscaped medians, replacing the angle parking with parallel parking, adding energy efficient street lights and more. 

The beautification of the area is directly aimed to help bring an economic boom back to the city that's been in a lull for years. City leaders believe that investing into the infrastructure will make things more appealing for the consumer and the businesses. 

With the project taking more shape in the recent months, Gilchrist said more businesses have shown interest in moving back and buying up the empty spaces. 

“We are looking at national chains that are interested in coming to cities like ours and how they can come downtown with a mixture of our mom and pop stores,” she said. 

Restaurants in the downtown area have reported slow business for months because of the construction but city leaders said the construction will be worth the wait. 

“This construction project, though right now it may seem painful, it’ll be like giving birth,” Gilchrist said. “At the end, it will be beautiful and everyone will be in love.”

And when this project wraps up, development in other parts of the city will start.

“Trust and believe every side of town, North, South, East and West will be touched,” Gilchrist said. 

The city is hoping construction downtown will be finished by the end of 2024.