According to the Youngstown 2010 citywide plan, the Paramount is “long vacant but still structurally sound” and there is a “preservation group determined to bring it out of mothballs.” Hopefully the Paramount will soon play a role in Downtown Youngstown’s ongoing rebirth.
Sorry about the quality of the previous post—I didn’t realize that this board didn’t have an edit option.
To add a bit more information, I believe that the Vocal Group Hall of Fame foundation is finally set up for success. Some people have complained about the shift from local induction concerts to the new focus on Wildwood and Las Vegas. While this is obviously not an ideal situation, it is a necessary and brilliant move to bring national attention to our little Valley. Plus, the money will be coming to Sharon whether it was made in Sharon or made elsewhere. The foundation tried holding local induction concerts—the 2002 and 2003 inductions were held at Cafaro (now Eastwood) Field in Niles, Ohio—but both basically flopped and left the foundation saddled with debt. Was it the foundation’s fault? No. Nor was it the community’s—this area is simply too small to support such an event without massive, nationwide promotion and support. I think it is important to note that the recordings of the concerts offered on the foundation’s website (www.vghf.com) have sold well. But I digress. Bottom line: the out-of-town concerts will drum up much-needed attention and concert attendance, so that when events do return to the Sharon area (and I’m sure they will), they won’t be ignored.
The Columbia was not a victim of fire. Rather, it was a victim of the tough economic times that followed. Had the fire occured a decade earlier or later, it never would have sat idle as it has. But we can’t rewrite the past—all we can do is take what we have and look toward the future. So far, I believe the VGHF has done just that. A glance at their foundation plan in the “About Us” section of their website offers glimpses into their ongoing work at the Columbia, including plasterwork, floor, and office restoration. And of course, the positive throwbacks to the Columbia Theatre for the Arts Organization period—the eye-catching front facade, the beautiful park that occupies the former Morgan site, and the comprehensive restoration plan—remain. I remain cautiously optimistic about the future of the theater, and when the public starts to see good things happening, they are sure to respond positively as well. Eventually, I see the foundation constructing a new entrance hall on the park site, a move that will finally create a beautiful and versatile performing arts facility that could become the next Powers Auditorium (which, I might add, was just two days away from the wrecking ball when the family for which it is now named put up enough money to save it).
It’s now September of 2005 and some important developments have taken place over the summer. First, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame staged its first successful induction concert series at the Wildwood Convention Center, Wildwood, NJ. The response was positive enough that the foundation met expenses for the first time and is already well into planning next year’s inductions for Las Vegas, where they are predicted to sell out.
Second, the foundation completed its move out of Winner’s building and has resolved its legal battles with him. This freed up the foundation enough that it was able to purchase the three-story Phoenix restaurant building at the corner of State and Water streets. The upper floors of the building will serve as the museum, while the first floor will house a bar and grill. This means that, also for the first time, the museum will have year-round cash flow—presumably much more than the donation box at their former museum ever could provide.
Finally, the Hall of Fame was able to secure a $50,000 state grant that will go toward purchasing new doors and windows for the theater. Naturally, this is only a fraction of the millions that it will take for a full restoration, but it is an important first step in that it shows that the state is behind the project. As the foundation finds itself on firmer and firmer financial ground, the state will probably be more willing to contribute grants because they will be further assured that the project will come to fruition.
Expect good things from the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Based on the recent turnaround in their coffers, their complete separation from big JW (who I don’t mean to bash—he’s done some great things for this town—but his heart was simply not in the right place in this instance), and the recent support from the state, I foresee the Columbia to be well on its way toward rebirth in the next couple of years.
—James Vasconi, Sharon, PA, local researcher and newshound
According to the Youngstown 2010 citywide plan, the Paramount is “long vacant but still structurally sound” and there is a “preservation group determined to bring it out of mothballs.” Hopefully the Paramount will soon play a role in Downtown Youngstown’s ongoing rebirth.
Sorry about the quality of the previous post—I didn’t realize that this board didn’t have an edit option.
To add a bit more information, I believe that the Vocal Group Hall of Fame foundation is finally set up for success. Some people have complained about the shift from local induction concerts to the new focus on Wildwood and Las Vegas. While this is obviously not an ideal situation, it is a necessary and brilliant move to bring national attention to our little Valley. Plus, the money will be coming to Sharon whether it was made in Sharon or made elsewhere. The foundation tried holding local induction concerts—the 2002 and 2003 inductions were held at Cafaro (now Eastwood) Field in Niles, Ohio—but both basically flopped and left the foundation saddled with debt. Was it the foundation’s fault? No. Nor was it the community’s—this area is simply too small to support such an event without massive, nationwide promotion and support. I think it is important to note that the recordings of the concerts offered on the foundation’s website (www.vghf.com) have sold well. But I digress. Bottom line: the out-of-town concerts will drum up much-needed attention and concert attendance, so that when events do return to the Sharon area (and I’m sure they will), they won’t be ignored.
The Columbia was not a victim of fire. Rather, it was a victim of the tough economic times that followed. Had the fire occured a decade earlier or later, it never would have sat idle as it has. But we can’t rewrite the past—all we can do is take what we have and look toward the future. So far, I believe the VGHF has done just that. A glance at their foundation plan in the “About Us” section of their website offers glimpses into their ongoing work at the Columbia, including plasterwork, floor, and office restoration. And of course, the positive throwbacks to the Columbia Theatre for the Arts Organization period—the eye-catching front facade, the beautiful park that occupies the former Morgan site, and the comprehensive restoration plan—remain. I remain cautiously optimistic about the future of the theater, and when the public starts to see good things happening, they are sure to respond positively as well. Eventually, I see the foundation constructing a new entrance hall on the park site, a move that will finally create a beautiful and versatile performing arts facility that could become the next Powers Auditorium (which, I might add, was just two days away from the wrecking ball when the family for which it is now named put up enough money to save it).
It’s now September of 2005 and some important developments have taken place over the summer. First, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame staged its first successful induction concert series at the Wildwood Convention Center, Wildwood, NJ. The response was positive enough that the foundation met expenses for the first time and is already well into planning next year’s inductions for Las Vegas, where they are predicted to sell out.
Second, the foundation completed its move out of Winner’s building and has resolved its legal battles with him. This freed up the foundation enough that it was able to purchase the three-story Phoenix restaurant building at the corner of State and Water streets. The upper floors of the building will serve as the museum, while the first floor will house a bar and grill. This means that, also for the first time, the museum will have year-round cash flow—presumably much more than the donation box at their former museum ever could provide.
Finally, the Hall of Fame was able to secure a $50,000 state grant that will go toward purchasing new doors and windows for the theater. Naturally, this is only a fraction of the millions that it will take for a full restoration, but it is an important first step in that it shows that the state is behind the project. As the foundation finds itself on firmer and firmer financial ground, the state will probably be more willing to contribute grants because they will be further assured that the project will come to fruition.
Expect good things from the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Based on the recent turnaround in their coffers, their complete separation from big JW (who I don’t mean to bash—he’s done some great things for this town—but his heart was simply not in the right place in this instance), and the recent support from the state, I foresee the Columbia to be well on its way toward rebirth in the next couple of years.
—James Vasconi, Sharon, PA, local researcher and newshound