The Mahoning Valley Historical Society (MVHS) is calling for the restoration of the Realty Tower building, which was recently damaged in a deadly explosion.

In a statement released by the Historical Society's Board of Directors on Monday, MVHS mourned the loss of 27-year-old Akil Drake, who was killed in the deadly blast.

The Society went on to say it wants the "best possible outcome for all involved" in the explosion and is "deeply concerned" with the potential demolition of the building.

The statement reads in part:

"Fifteen years ago the previous owner and developer invested $9 million (including the purchase price) in a restoration, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse project to make the 1924 Realty Building an active commercial and residential property in the heart of downtown Youngstown."

"That investment included substantial public sector economic development tools, such as state and federal tax credits, low interest loans, and a 12-year property tax abatement, worth in excess of $4 million to help make this project cost-effective."

The statement goes on to express concerns as to how Central Square and East Federal Street would function if the building is demolished and replaced with something like a parking lot.

"What makes downtown Youngstown unique, aside from the beautiful and high quality finishes on its remaining historic structures, is its pedestrian-friendly sense of place. This sense is most well-preserved along Federal Street between Walnut Street to the east and the intersection of Mahoning and Fifth Avenues (Spring Common) to the west, and is directly related to the building density along the district's main street."

"The current project to realign roadways downtown and provide larger surfaces for bicycle and pedestrian traffic when completed will make the downtown thoroughfares even more attractive and safe. Removing the landmark Realty Tower would very negatively affect the downtown streetscape."

The statement concluded with MVHS calling on the owner of the building, city officials and those with a stake on downtown Youngstown's future to do everything they can to repair and restore the building in order to preserve Youngstown's economic, social and cultural viability.