New Castle News

Local News

Related Photos

Discussion

March 15, 2013

Council OKs money for Cray coffee shop

John K. Manna New Castle News

NEW CASTLE — New Castle City Council approved financial assistance last night for Cray Youth and Family Services to renovate a downtown property.

The city will provide $50,000 to help the nonprofit agency develop a community gathering place known as The Confluence at the former JCPenney building on East Washington Street.

On Mayor Anthony Mastrangelo’s recommendation, the city will use a portion of the funds that have been designated for two downtown parking lots. The money is part of a $5 million state grant targeted for downtown revitalization.

David Copper, executive director of Cray, showed the architectural plans last night to council members who said they believe it’s a good project and commended the initiative.

Copper said The Confluence is designed as a coffee shop, serving “quality food and beverages at a reasonable cost,” but it will be more than that.

It will have a stage to provide local performers a venue to develop their talents, an art gallery offering local artists an opportunity to display and sell their work and a reading room where people can exchange books at no cost, he said.

The gallery will be managed by the Hoyt Center for the Arts, and the New Castle Public Library has agreed to assist in managing the reading room.

Two conference rooms also will be available for meetings.

Copper said Cray wants “to create a gathering place” that can have “a spirit of community.”

The Confluence “will hopefully” provide an incentive for additional development in the downtown, he said.

The estimated cost for renovating the first floor, plus adding a new roof is $300,000, he said, adding that Cray has accepted bids on all of the construction.

Copper said Cray is also securing grants for the project.

“We have a business plan we believe is solid.”

Penn Ohio Center for Arts and Technology, he said, is interested in occupying the second floor of the building and will develop that portion.

Copper said he is projecting a mid- to late-summer opening for The Confluence.

At council’s work session this week, council president MaryAnne Gavrile noted that when the city gave the Cascade Center at the Riverplex building to Refresh Dental last year, the city failed to urge the company to use local contractors for the renovations. Since city money is being provided to Cray, she urged Cray to seek local contractors to make sure “that the money stays here.”

But since Copper said bids have already been accepted, Gavrile said the city could stress its position for future projects.

Saying he likes Cray’s proposal, Mastrangelo said he believes helping a new business “would be to our advantage.”

The building is owned by Paul Lynch, who is providing a 25-year lease for $1 a year to Cray, according to Gavrile.

Transfer of the downtown revitalization grant money will leave $110,000 for construction of a parking lot at the corner of Apple Way and East Washington Street and $105,000 for improvements to a lot at the corner of Mercer and East Washington streets.

(Email: jmanna@ncnewsonline.com)

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local News
  • 04.jpg Movie Memories, Part 3: The Hi-Lander and Cinema theaters were the last two New Castle movie houses to go dark

    Although the downtown once was dotted with movie theaters, one of the last to close was well up the North Hill. The 750-seat Hi-Lander opened in 1952, the result of a joint effort by two pairs of area drive-in owners: Al Tate and John Wincek (Highway 51 near Darlington, and John Favorite and Joe Glorioso (Blue Sky near Zelienople).

    May 22, 2013 1 Photo 1 Slideshow 2 Stories

  • No tax hike in Union school budget

    The Union Area School Board has introduced a $10.6 budget with no tax increase. If the $10,585,494 spending plan is approved, it will be the third year without a tax increase in the district. The property tax is at 14.42 mills.

    May 22, 2013

  • STATE_JohnBorovilos.jpg Movie Memories, Part 2: Monsters, cowboys and ultimately, sex, were staples at State Theater

    Second in a series: Daily through Memorial Day, the New Castle News will be looking back at some of the city’s now-defunct movie theaters. These movie houses will be seen primarily through the eyes of New Castle natives with ties to them — including “Mister Movie” himself, Leo Mickey. Today: The State Theater
     

    May 21, 2013 1 Photo 1 Slideshow 1 Story

  • VICTOR_01.jpg Movie Memories, Part 1: Victor one of many long-gone local theaters

    First in a series: Today through Memorial Day, the New Castle News will be looking back at some of the city’s now-defunct movie theaters. These movie houses will be seen primarily through the eyes of New Castle natives with ties to them — including “Mister Movie” himself, Leo Mickey. Today: The Victor
     

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo 1 Slideshow

  • vote.jpg Our Opinion: Make the most of your power to vote by casting ballot tomorrow

    So what kind of turnout will there be for tomorrow’s primary? Recent history suggests somewhere between low and lousy. This year’s elections are devoted to local races, and there are few major ones being contested in the primary.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • Relay for Life set for next week

    New Castle’s Relay for Life will kick off at 7 p.m. May 31 on the track at Shenango High School’s Glen “Pop” Johnston Stadium. Relay for Life is an organized, overnight fundraising walk for the American Cancer Society.

    May 20, 2013

  • Sorg.jpg New Castle News names new publisher

    Sharon A. Sorg is no stranger to hometown newspapers. It’s no surprise, then, that she’s been selected to lead the newspaper in her hometown. Sorg has been named publisher of the New Castle News, which is just a few miles from her residence in Pulaski Township.

    May 18, 2013 1 Photo

  • Disney.tiff Rockin’ Recess: Laurel youngsters earn a morning of music, health education

    Hands clapping. Arms waving. Crowd chanting. That was the scene at Laurel Elementary School yesterday morning. Laurel beat out four other school districts in the UPMC For Kids and Radio Disney-sponsored “Attendance Counts” competition.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Memorial service scheduled

    The annual Croton Memorial Service will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Croton Honor Roll. U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly will be the guest speaker.

    May 17, 2013

  • Russo.jpg John Russo Jr. Remembered: Colleagues salute former councilman

    Honest and dedicated. That is how those who knew John Russo Jr. well described him after his passing Tuesday. Russo served as a member of New Castle City Council for more than 17 years at four different times from 1985 through 2009.

    May 16, 2013 1 Photo