Imagine Downtown Massillon seeks to bolster downtown

• The Massillon mayor has formed a new panel to bring forth ideas for downtown growth, jobs and revenue.
• The Imagine Downtown Massillon group will look at strategies and policies to improve the area.
• Addressing unsafe buildings downtown and attracting younger people to Massillon for downtown living are initial ideas being discussed.

MASSILLON – A new panel is looking at how to bring about a downtown resurgence, with an immediate focus on new development and preservation.

Members of the Imagine Downtown Massillon committee met for the first time this week at the Massillon Recreation Center to mull potential options related to improving and preserving historic buildings downtown and attracting younger professionals to the area.

Demo aftermath:CJ Duncan Jewelers looks to reopen after Lincoln Way closure from teardown

New nails:Inspired Designs Nail Bar opens with rock 'n' roll theme in downtown Massillon

"We will be going on an adventure to develop our downtown together," Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry said to kickoff the session. "This will take time, effort and teamwork ... all for the betterment of our Massillon community."

The group is to discuss and bring forward recommendations to bolster downtown for the future, the mayor said. A couple main ideas broached Thursday were addressing unsafe buildings due to lack of attention by the owners and attracting younger people to Massillon looking for downtown living.

"If we lose our fabric, it becomes Belden Village," said John Patrick Picard, president of John Patrick Picard Architect.

Bob Gessner, former president of MCTV, had a similar take.

"We need to make it look like a downtown, not a suburban shopping center," he said.

Picard noted there are at least 30 buildings in downtown that need some attention.

New Massillon Imagine group made up of multiple stakeholders

Members consist of those within city government, multiple business and property owners, contractors, local elected officials, public utility representatives and some from the Massillon Museum. The 32-member group was handpicked by the mayor, and about two dozen were in attendance Thursday.

The now vacant properties at 14 and 20 Lincoln Way E due to a recent building demolition, as well as the upcoming teardown of the old Howard's Tiger Rags and adjacent structure, 125 Lincoln Way W and 129 Lincoln Way W, were related to the need of forming the panel, Catazaro-Perry said.

David Maley, the city's economic development director, said the new group is an offshoot of the previous Imagine Downtown Massillon effort, which included the downtown Streetscape initiative and Duncan Plaza redo.

The group's next session has not yet been scheduled. Maley said meetings are likely to be set about once every two months.

Reach Steven at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On Twitter: @sgrazierINDE

Who are the Imagine Downtown Massillon committee members?

Here's a list of the members of the new Imagine Downtown Massillon advisory group:

• Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry, mayor of Massillon
• Fred Horner, chief executive officer of Advanced Industrial Roofing
• Bob Gessner, owner and former president of MCTV
• Katherine Gessner, president and owner of MCTV
• Steve Coon, owner of Coon Restoration & Sealants
• Keith Nutter, area manager of Aqua Ohio
• Phil Elum, volunteer director of Massillon Main Street
• Grant "Fuzzy" Kowell, downtown property owner
• Jeff Doll, owner of Jeff's Motorcars
• Holly Bryan-Huth, president of Downtown Massillon Association
• Barb Sylvester, Massillon safety-service director
• David Maley, Massillon economic development director
• Lori Kotagides-Boron, Massillon income tax/budget director
• Samantha Walters, Massillon community development director
• Frank Silla, Massillon's chief building official
• Jim Johnson, Massillon code enforcement officer
• Matt Heck, Massillon fire chief
• Justin Richard, Massillon law director
• Margy Vogt, city historian
• Jill Creamer, Ward 4 city councilwoman
• Alex Nicholis Coon, executive director of the Massillon Museum
• Debbie Busby; president of the Massillon-West Stark Chamber of Commerce
• Denny Saunier, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce president
• Richard Regula, Stark County commissioner
• Mark Samolczyk, president of Stark Community Foundation
• John Patrick Picard; owner of John Patrick Picard Architect
• Greg McCue, Massillon city engineer
• Alley Bussey, president of Visit Canton
• Mark and Michele Kemp, owners of Tremont Coffee Co.
• Dr. Richard Fuller, an ophthalmologist
• Alex Wood, Massillon Recreation Board member
• Donte Stewart, president of Arrow Passage Recovery