Latest news with #RealtyBuilding
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Downtown restaurant owners reflect on explosion
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — It has been a year since tragedy struck the city of Youngstown. The Realty Building explosion killed one person, injured more, and left a gaping hole in the middle of downtown. In the months that followed, downtown Youngstown became a ghost town once again, leaving businesses struggling to keep the lights on, while some others were forced to turn the lights off entirely for months. 'We're resilient. Youngstown has always been resilient,' business owner Mark Canzonetta said. Canzonetta reflected on a year of struggle and growth inside his restaurant, Casa di Canzonetta, one year after the Realty building exploded. A mural on a far wall honors the old restaurant — Bistro 1907 — a reminder of what once was and what the city has overcome. 'It's been a crazy year. It's been a year of transition. It's been a year of growth, soul searching, faith in God getting us through that tragic time,' Canzonetta said. The explosion shut down Bistro 1907 and the Doubletree Hotel for four months straight since the building was just across the street from the Realty Building. Canzonetta realized quickly he was in for a long struggle. 'The shock factor set in, 'What am I going to do? You know, how am I going to take care of our team members here?' Canzonetta said. 'That was hard because I had 80 people's lives that changed.' Other businesses struggled, too — as many people avoided coming downtown owner of Avalon Pizza said she thought there were moments their business might not survive. 'When you go from sales to, you know, to basically very little in sales but yet you still have all your bills like you would normally have. It's scary. It's very scary,' said owner Anne Massullo-Sabella. Many downtown restaurant owners said the explosion was one of several blows to business and came after years-long struggles with the pandemic and the ongoing construction downtown. Restaurant owners say something needs to change. For now, they say it's the community keeping downtown alive. 'Nothing's going to beat us no matter how far down we are. We're going to find a way to bounce back. We're going to find a way to succeed,' Canzonetta said. 'We have survived that I never, ever expected to ever be and never thought I was going to survive it, but… the only reason why we survived it is because of the community support that we got,' Massullo-Sabella said. 'Youngstown is alive, well and ready for people to come back,' Canzonetta said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Firefighters reflect on Realty Tower Explosion one year later
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)- A lot has happened over the past year since that deadly Realty Tower gas explosion. The blast claimed the life of Akil Drake and injured nine others. It happened one year ago, around 2:45 p.m. Crews worked for weeks, trying to clear some of the debris and piece together what happened. But there were questions over the building's stability. That's why city officials made the call to evacuate International Towers starting June 20. That building sits right next to where the explosion happened. After a lot of debate on whether the Realty Building could be saved or needed to be torn down, the decision was made to demolish it. Demo began July 12 and officially finished September 25. Many businesses near the blast site had to be closed while all of this was happening. A phased reopening of that area started August 19. One week ago, the NTSB released the explosion investigation docket to the public. It includes preliminary reports, accident summaries, field notes, maps, interviews, images of the damage, and much more. Several area departments stepped up around the Valley one year ago today when the Realty Building exploded. But three men were given higher honors at the statehouse. Youngstown firefighters Scott Thomas, Tommy Gibbs, and Joseph Koziel received the Fire Service Valor Award for their heroic actions following the explosion. According to the State Fire Service Hall of Fame, they were inducted based on their efforts that reflect the core values of the fire service: courage, teamwork, and an unwavering commitment to protect and serve. Captain Gibbs explained that he thought at first this was just a nuisance call. Something that was going to just turn into nothing. Then they heard the explosion, seeing the smoke. 'It's changed the way I look at the training and how you go about things. If I'm always, you can't train for every call, but we can train for how we're going to act on these calls,' said Captain Tommy Gibbs 'Everybody now realizes that, you know, any time that tone hits, it can be anything,' said Batt. Chief Timothy Frease. One of the injured was a woman whom Captain Gibbs and Battalion Chief Frease pulled from the rubble in the basement. One thing each man shared about that day was how much worse it could have been. 'Some divine intervention definitely played a key role in that,' said firefighter Scott Thomas. 'Especially with the time of the day and the occupancy of the building. We figured there was going to be a lot more people in there. Thankfully, a fire alarm got pulled and people got out,' said firefighter Joseph Koziel. Meanwhile, a settlement has been reached in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Akil Drake. Drake's estate will receive $6.1 million. After attorney fees, the family will receive just over $3.6 million. Y-O Properties 47 LLC paid $3 million in the settlement. Enbridge/Dominion paid $2.9 million, while Niedler Architecture and MS Consultants paid $100,000 each. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
$6.1 million settlement reached in wrongful death lawsuit over Youngstown explosion
The family of a Penn Hills man killed in an explosion in Youngstown, Ohio has reached a multi-million dollar settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit. 27-year-old Akil Drake died last year after an office building in downtown Youngstown exploded when a scrap removal crew cut a natural gas line. Nine other people were injured in the blast. At least one person was killed and multiple people were injured in an explosion at the Realty Building along East Federal Street in Youngstown, Ohio on Tuesday. KDKA Drone Team / KDKA Photojournalist Brian Smithmyer Drake's family then sued the building owner and the gas company. CBS affiliate WKBN reported Tuesday that Drake's family settled the lawsuit for more than $6.1 million. The NTSB said that the four-person scrap removal crew was working in the basement of the Realty Building and didn't know the gas lines were in service. A crewmember told investigators he cut into one of the pipes he had been told was dead. The NTSB said its investigators found the service line was inactive, but it had been pressurized with natural gas at the time of the cut.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Youngstown mayor prepares for State of the City address while local business owner criticizes his focus
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – As Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown prepares for another re-election campaign, he is offering a preview of his upcoming 'State of the City' Address this Wednesday. 'We're gonna talk about some of the things that we've been able to achieve,' Brown said. The mayor said his focus is on reducing crime, as well as creating affordable housing in city neighborhoods and attracting new businesses downtown. 'Those are things that are in front of us, but I think when we talk about the innovation hub and what we're investing in downtown, those are things that are gonna lift up downtown,' he said. But downtown restaurant owner Mark Canzonetta argues that the mayor isn't doing enough to help the inner-city core. 'It's like it doesn't exist in Youngstown. I don't know why, but it's off their radar for some reason,' said Canzonetta, who owns Casa Di Canzonetta. Canzonetta said the administration was too slow in trying to revive downtown following the COVID-19 pandemic and then later with the explosion and demolition of the Realty Building, saying work to rebuild major roads in the area resulted in fewer places to park and far too many empty storefronts. 'It's a Hollywood movie; it's a Greek tragedy down here, what's happened,' he said. While the mayor says the reviving of downtown will take time, he plans to talk Wednesday about spending millions sprucing up the city's parks. 'In the next two years, we're gonna finish the American Rescue Plan dollars, where you'll see the improvements in your parks and we'll give you a preview of what some of those parks will look like in the end,' he said. 'Number one, who's gonna maintenance them? Where's the funds coming from to maintenance them? What's the long-term for that maintenance, the costs, and are they gonna fall into disrepair again?' Canzonetta asked. Canzonetta stresses there have been successes and congratulates the mayor for them, but he thinks there's a lot more that could be done, and he plans to publicize them. The State of the City Address begins at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the DeYor Performing Arts Center. The address is open to the public. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Push continues to centralized dispatching in Mahoning County
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Several Mahoning County fire chiefs are once again pushing for a centralized dispatching system instead of having to pay more for the service. Right now, Austintown handles calls for more than 20 different agencies as part of a local Council of Governments that oversees Mahoning County's 911 system. It's one of seven Public Safety Answering Points (P-SAP) in the county, and local fire chiefs say it's time for a change. 'When we see incidences that are worked every single day by multiple agencies, cohesively operating out of multiple dispatch centers, is a challenge and it's a safety concern,' said Boardman Fire Chief Mark Pitzer. Pitzer points to last May's explosion at the Realty Building in Youngstown as well as the East Palestine train derailment as big examples. He addressed leaders with the local 911 COG saying responders had trouble communicating with each other directly because of so many different dispatching locations. 'And without having somebody to be able to coordinate those resources, that's where we have a problem,' Pitzer said. Recently, Austintown notified its agencies indicating it needs to change the fees charged for dispatching — doubling what some communities are paying now. Officials say the change would help cover the costs of manpower, equipment, and technology and ensure all pay their fair share, but some think there's a better way. 'I think that when you consolidate, you have economics of scale and over time, you become more efficient and you save money,' said Western Reserve Join Fire District Chief David Comstock. 'We've seen a lot of communities throughout the United States that will tell you it does not save you money. It's like and ongoing research project on what's best for the taxpayers,' said Chief Deputy William Cappabianca with the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office. While no decisions were made Tuesday, many don't see any coming soon. Leaders hope the discussion will push communities closer to one day working together to create a more efficient system that also saves money. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
