Realty Building owner looking to fill empty parcel of land following explosion
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - It was a long and frustrating process recovering from the Realty building explosion.
"We didn't have daily updates. there was no communication. like still to this day, there's hardly any communication from the mayor's office" Mark Canzonetta, owner of Casa di Canzonetta said.
Canzonetta was critical of the process along the way, raising concerns surrounding city leadership and the way the aftermath of the explosion was handled.
"I'm still critical of it, I think that the crisis management that happened it just wasn't there. There was no leadership there," Canzonetta said.
However, now that the worst is over, what will be done with the empty parcel of land?
The owner, Brian Angellili spoke out for the first time regarding tentative plans for the space with Reporter Sydney Canty.
Angellili said they're looking to have commercial properties on the first floor once again and residential structures on the top, but the process is uncertain.
Angellili declined to go on camera until the information is solidified, but says they're currently working on getting a lot agreement for parking.
In mid to late summer Angellili will be looking at conceptual drawings for options on what to officially make of the space.
Angellili adds, he'll also be working hand in hand with the city on this and then he'll need to start working on preliminary pricing before they can start to build. Also on Angellili's checklist getting the O.K. from surrounding properties, on what to build.
"I wholeheartedly feel there should be a memorial to Akil," Canzonetta said. "He lost his life in that tragedy. There's not a mention of him over there not a plaque not a bench not a statue," he said.
"I would love them to rebuild another beautiful apartment building," Kimberly Patrone, director of sales at the Double Tree said. I would love to have our residents back, you know we miss our residents that were next to us, you know, they were frequent people that came over here or sent their families over here" she said.
"I mean we still need a grocery store of some kind down here," Canzonetta said.
The major consensus though is parking.
"That's the biggest thing when people come down they're like, 'O.K. where the heck do we go to park now?' Because some people don't wanna pay the fee in the lot and I get it and I understand and it's way less than you would pay in a bigger city like Cleveland or Pittsburgh but still some people wanna park on the street. It's just not available," Canzonetta said.
Whatever the space will become, there doesn't seem to be any fear of another explosion.
"I don't believe it would happen again, I hope that history teaches them, to check al the boxes," Patrone said.
"I don't think it'll happen again, I think the city has learned their lesson in bad planning and bad execution," Canzonetta said.
Things have also been looking up for downtown businesses in the aftermath.
"Business is definitely picking up. It's getting busier. It's been a slow uphill battle but we are picking up and trying to get back to our numbers from previously," Patrone said.
"I see a brighter future, I see a brighter horizon and things have been very good for us, we've been very blessed at Casa di Canzonetta," Canzonetta said.
Although there hasn't been any physical movement at the site since the building came down, Angellili says they're getting there and it'll take time but they're committed to doing this.
