Planning shifts to implementation in Steubenville

THE VISION — Adam Rosa, principal and founder at COLLABO, exhibited a visualization of the Steubenville North Choice Neighborhoods preferred plan, during a public unveiling at the Pugliese STEM Academy conference room, Tuesday. -- Christopher Dacanay
STEUBENVILLE — Tuesday’s unveiling of the finalized Steubenville North Choice Neighborhoods Plan signaled officials’ shift from planning to implementation, in hopes of seeing a grant-funded transformation of the North End.
Members of the general public congregated in the Pugliese STEM Academy conference room to hear consultants share key takeaways from the plan, which was submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development on Dec. 20. Planners now await HUD’s feedback and will adjust the plan accordingly before applying for up to $50 million in implementation grant funds.
Adam Rosa, principal and founder at the urban design firm COLLABO, welcomed attendees and gave context for Tuesday’s event — the product of two years’ worth of community analysis and workshopping to develop a vision for the North End’s future. Alongside a steering committee, COLLABO coordinated planning alongside the Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant co-awardees the city of Steubenville and Jefferson Metropolitan Housing Authority.
“We’re really at the culmination of one part of this process, and the start of another part of the process,” Rosa said. “We’re wrapping up, really, the planning effort for the Steubenville North Choice Neighborhood, and we are shifting into implementation mode.”
In progress since December 2022, the plan roughly covers the area of downtown Steubenville from Washington Street to University Boulevard, and from the Ohio River to the hillside. The plan seeks to replace low-income housing units in JMHA’s John F. Kennedy Apartments and Elmer White Family Units with new, mixed-income developments, while also improving three core elements: People, housing and neighborhood.
The plan, which is divided into six chapters, begins by identifying the unique heritage belonging to Steubenville and its North End, Rosa said. The first chapter, “A Community of Heritage,” recognizes notable buildings, people and events in the city’s and neighborhood’s history.
Rosa said the second chapter, “A Community of Collaboration” focuses on the many hands involved in forming the plan — a “community-centered plan from the beginning.” Activities included visioning activities, youth engagement workshops and pop-up events, gathering feedback from residents to shape the plan. Efforts benefited from volunteer community ambassadors Daysha Wade, Knowledge Whatley and Tina Thompson.
COLLABO consulting designer Patrick Brunner addressed the third chapter, “A Community of Rejuvenation,” which lays out the proposed housing plan for the redeveloped North End.
Housing in the finalized plan — the “greatest hits compilation” of three draft concepts, as chosen by the community — includes about 450 rental units and 60 homeownership units, Brunner said, adding that some of the rental units will be in a renovated JFK building.
The plan also calls for a new North End Park to be constructed in the Elmer White Family Units footprint, surrounded by housing and furnished with a baseball field other recreational amenities. In the old park’s place, ideally, would be a new grocery store or hotel. Plans also visualize Franklin Avenue connecting to Franciscan Square and redeveloped corridors down Sixth and Fourth streets.
Actualization of this plan would take place between five and seven years, Brunner said. The first phase would see development of open land on the Elmer White property, including a mixed-use senior building and townhouses. Subsequent phases include development of off-site locations on Sherman Street and at the Gateway Park location, development of off-site locations on North Sixth Street, rehabilitation of the JFK building and development of remaining Elmer White units, including a new North End Park.
Rosa said, “That first phase of housing is going to be really important. What’s coming next in 2025 would be the design development and application for what they call low-income housing tax credits for phase one of the housing plan. … As this building would get constructed, some of the families from the JFK building that are seniors may move out into this new facility — the same with Elmer White. This is something, because it’s a greenfield site, hopefully we can get started in 2025, in terms of tax credit applications and putting together other funding resources.”
Brunner said that multiple catalyst projects were integrated into the plan to “create a better future” for residents, using part of the grant funds. Projects for this section include establishing a fresh food grocer, improving streetlight systems, creating the new North End Park, filling vacant lots with single-family units and revitalizing the riverfront.
Each project identifies a timeline and possible lead and supporting partners in the community.
Triveece Penelton, a city planner with the firm Vireo, described the plan’s catalyst projects to aid economic development and residents’ educational outcomes in “A Community of Opportunity.” Projects include improving work-related transportation, increasing access to educational programs, creating safe walking routes for school students, bettering job access for individuals of all abilities and empowering residents for the financial matters.
Another project — establishing an Eastern Ohio Aspire Program — has already been accomplished through JMHA allowing the program to operate in the JFK building. Aspire targets students who left high school early with educational services to prepare them for college or employment.
A Community of Care identifies catalyst projects for bolstering residents’ health and safety, Penelton said. Those projects include improving neighborhood health care services, boosting adult and child care offerings, creating an association of North End pastors, establishing a multi-generational community center and connecting residents with home management assistance.
As for the plan’s next moves in A Community of Action, Rosa said that JMHA is leading the housing initiative with Columbus-based developer WODA Cooper Companies Inc. JMHA is also considering bringing an outside agency to lead the people initiative.
The city is leading the neighborhood initiative — though its approach may be affected by urban projects director Chris Petrossi’s expected retirement. JMHA is also considering bringing an outside agency to lead the people initiative. Rosa said that the city will need to vote on what projects it decides to address first.
Estimated development costs for the plan total $122,935,356 — based on calculations from WODA. A full list of estimated sources and uses of funds is also listed in the finalized plan, which itself can be viewed at steubenvillechoice.com.
Rosa noted that the plan’s early action project, a community learning and garden near East Garfield Elementary School, is on track to begin constriction in the spring or summer of this year.
Rosa said that the Choice Neighborhood program is “highly competitive,” but its future is not set in stone with the new presidential administration coming in this year.
HUD has been funded through March by a continuing resolution, but Choice Neighborhoods still needs to be funded the 2025 budget. Still, Rosa said he remains “cautiously optimistic” that funding will remain online, even if the name and program requirements are changed — as they have been in the past, like with Choice Neighborhoods’ predecessor, HOPE VI.
As HUD provides feedback on the plan, planners will make adjustments while continuing to engage with the community based on implementation steps, Rosa said. The implementation grant application will arrive in the fall of 2025.
“I just want to say, again, I’m grateful,” Rosa stated in conclusion. “We are at the end of a part of this process with you all. It’s been a really wonderful experience to work with you all on this plan. We’re really proud of it, we hope you’re proud of it and we’re really excited to see what comes out of it in 2025 and beyond.”