Where the past meets possibility: Downtown's transformation takes shape

STEUBENVILLE — Downtown Steubenville is being recast, one block at a time.

Along Market Street, buildings that stood vacant for years are coming down. On Fourth Street, new businesses are opening, historic properties are being restored and a growing college is establishing its footprint. Elsewhere, familiar landmarks are finding new uses, while city officials work to address properties that continue to deteriorate.

The changes are part of an ongoing revitalization effort in a city whose downtown was once the commercial heart of the Upper Ohio Valley.

Among the most visible projects is OYO Brewing Co., a planned brewery, restaurant and entertainment destination taking shape along Market Street.

Four buildings at 328, 330, 332 and 336 Market St., dating to the late 1800s, were targeted for demolition to accommodate the development.

The structures had stood vacant for years, left to deteriorate as time and neglect took their toll. Developer Andrew Sharples has indicated their deteriorating condition made rehabilitation impractical, leaving demolition as the  most practical means of preparing the property for a new use.

Plans include a brewery production facility, outdoor beer garden, 60-seat taproom, live entertainment and a second-floor arcade. Martoni's Pizza Company has been announced as the food-service partner.

OYO Brewing is targeting an August 2027 opening.

A downtown with a history of change

Steubenville's efforts to reinvent its downtown are hardly new.

A major downtown study was conducted in 1968 as suburban commercial development began drawing shoppers and businesses away from the traditional business district. Urban renewal projects during the 1960s and 1970s altered portions of the city center, while the launch of the City of Murals project in 1986 brought a different approach to attracting visitors.

The demolition of the Hub department store in 1989 marked another significant change in the downtown landscape.

In the decades since, efforts to encourage new investment have included building renovations, independent businesses, public events and attractions such as the Steubenville Nutcracker Village.

Today's projects represent another phase in that evolution, with private developers, educational institutions and preservation organizations contributing to the work.

College expands downtown footprint

The College of St. Joseph the Worker has emerged as one of downtown's redevelopment participants, acquiring and renovating properties for classrooms, offices and student housing.

Among its projects is the restoration of Seraphic Hall for academic use, along with improvements to downtown residential properties.

The college's redevelopment efforts also include the former Hardee's property, which most recently housed the Viking Poker Social Club before the business relocated to Third Street.

The building was demolished earlier this year, leaving green space where the structure once stood.

In August, another college-owned building on Washington Street was demolished after years of deterioration. The structure displayed murals honoring Tuskegee Airmen brothers John and Jerome Edwards and Steubenville's historic Memorial Arch.

The demolition generated controversy over the loss of the artwork. The college cited extensive roof damage and structural concerns, maintaining that the building could not be reasonably rehabilitated.

The loss of the murals underscored one of the challenges associated with downtown redevelopment: Not every deteriorating building can be saved, but demolition can also mean losing pieces of the city's history.

The college has outlined additional plans for a landscaped town square, pedestrian improvements and potential redevelopment of the Masonic Temple for educational, cultural and public uses.

Its expansion is bringing students, faculty and campus activities into the central business district, creating opportunities for nearby shops and restaurants.

Grand Theater restoration continues

At 121 S. Fourth St., efforts to restore the Grand Theater are preserving a piece of Steubenville's entertainment history.

Opened in 1925, the former movie theater has been the focus of an extensive restoration effort by the Steubenville Historic Landmarks Foundation, which hopes to return the building to use as a performing arts and community events venue.

The project has received major grants, including $1.5 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission, $500,000 in funding supported in part by the federal Save America's Treasures program and $300,000 in state capital funding.

Work on the main auditorium and emergency exit tower was nearing completion earlier this year, while restoration of the theater's historic Wurlitzer pipe organ has returned another piece of its past to working condition.

Additional restoration remains necessary before the theater can fully reopen.

New businesses bring activity to Fourth Street

Downtown's changing landscape also includes smaller investments that are helping fill commercial spaces and attract visitors.

During a May 26 City Council meeting, officials reported 11 businesses had opened in Steubenville in recent months, nine of them downtown.

Among the additions is Steubenville Works, a coworking space at 168 N. Fourth St. The Grocery Box also expanded its operations with the installation of a $50,000 commercial kitchen.

Fourth Street's business district includes Leonardo's Coffeehouse, Steubenville Popcorn Company, Bookmarx Books and More, Spyridon Studios, Yorgo's Gyros and Chesterton Cigars.

Mindful Mug, which opened this year inside First Westminster Presbyterian Church, is another addition to the downtown business community.

Events such as First Fridays on Fourth, the Saturday Market on Fourth and the seasonal Nutcracker Village continue to encourage visitors to explore the district.

Classic Corner property changes hands

Another downtown landmark is preparing for a new purpose following the sale of the former Froehlich's Classic Corner property at Fourth and Washington streets.

The building, originally home to the Ohio Power Company, later housed Jaggin' Around before becoming Froehlich's Classic Corner, a longtime downtown dining destination.

Greg Froehlich purchased the property in 2004 and operated the restaurant for more than two decades before its sale July 27 to the Jefferson County Educational Service Center.

The educational service center plans to renovate the building for offices and meeting space, including use of the former restaurant's banquet facilities. A timetable for the renovations has not been announced.

Meanwhile, the condemnation of portions of Fort Steuben Mall earlier this year has left some established businesses searching for new locations.

Among those affected was The Ville Restaurant & Bar, which closed its mall location following the condemnation.

In September, The Ville updated its Facebook cover photo to a vintage image of the former Ohio Power Company building at Fourth and Washington streets.

The choice of photograph could be seen as a hint that the restaurant may be moving to the downtown location, although no relocation plans have been publicly confirmed.

Sinclair Building presents ongoing challenge

Not every downtown property has a clear path toward redevelopment.

At Fourth and Market streets, the deteriorating Sinclair Building remains the focus of city enforcement efforts following repeated incidents involving falling concrete from its exterior.

Problems with the building date back at least to April 2025, when pieces of its facade fell, prompting safety concerns and restrictions on pedestrian access.

Additional deterioration in June led to sidewalk and roadway restrictions and the installation of protective fencing.

In September, City Manager Mike Johnson reported that the city had filed a public nuisance action in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court against the building's owners.

The city is seeking repairs and reimbursement for expenses associated with the protective fencing.

Officials also are exploring the possibility of new ownership, including whether a sale could be facilitated by addressing outstanding financial judgments involving the property.

No sale or transfer of ownership has been confirmed.

The Sinclair Building illustrates another side of downtown redevelopment: the challenge of addressing privately owned properties whose continued deterioration poses public safety concerns.

Looking toward the future

For Steubenville, the latest projects represent opportunities to build on a commercial district that has experienced decades of economic change.

The work also reflects the difficult choices involved in preserving an aging downtown. Some buildings, including the Grand Theater, are being restored for new generations. Others have deteriorated to the point that their owners consider rehabilitation no longer possible.

Not every announced project is complete, and the long-term impact of the investments remains to be seen.

But the demolition along Market Street, the continuing restoration of the Grand Theater, the College of St. Joseph the Worker's expansion and new business activity on Fourth Street are changing the appearance and uses of downtown.

From the properties finding new life to those being removed or facing enforcement action, Steubenville's changing landscape reflects both the opportunities and challenges of redevelopment.

The work is far from finished, but another chapter in the city's history is already taking shape.