Warren GROWS names new project manager

The new project manager for Warren GROWS has developed projects for government agencies, worked on streetscapes for cities such as Hudson and Willoughby, and owned his own small business.

James G. Dalessandro, 57, said, ‘‘I know what merchants go through when they rip up the street.’’

From his experience starting and owning his own retail business, he knows while small businesses want things done right now, but the pace of government can be slower, he said.

His job will be to facilitate those and other interests as Warren GROWS works to help revitalize the downtown business district.

Warren GROWS held a reception Monday for Dalessandro at Market on the Square.

Tami Candella, the new Warren GROWS president, described Dalessandro’s role as part facilitator, part front man. She said he will work with the group’s various committees to help them accomplish their goals and be the public face for the organization. That might involve helping recruit businesses or several other tasks.

‘‘He’s the glue that will keep us together,’’ she said.

The Warren GROWS board is meeting Wednesday morning with Dalessandro to start setting goals and using Heritage Ohio guidelines to implement the Main Street program in Warren. Main Street is a national program that provides communities with a blueprint for redeveloping business districts.

From facilitating to fundraising, from recruiting to public relations, Dalessandro has done it already.

Dalessandro, 57, who grew up in Niles and attended John F. Kennedy High School, sees a of potential in downtown Warren. As part of the Connecticut Western Reserve, there is history. And many attractive buildings remain downtown.

And he said, cities and their suburbs need a solid central core to be successful.

Dalessandro said part of his job will be listening to people and merchants to hear what they really are saying about the Main Street program.

Citing one project on which he worked, he said people were saying they did not want Cleveland’s metro transit system coming into their neighborhoods. What they really objected to was the potential traffic and congestion, not the convenience of having the trains stop near their homes, he said.

When merchants speak up, he said his job will be to figure out what they are really saying and seeing of plans can be adjusted.



soravecz@tribune-chronicle.com