NEOBuckeye

^Could it be that Akron is simply too small of a city at this point to support much in the way of new development beyond student housing? How are Toledo and Dayton faring in this category? It seems that larger cities like Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Columbus have all been quite successful at drawing post-college professional adults back into their downtown districts, but much less has been said about the next tier down that includes smaller mid-sized cities like Akron, Dayton, and Toledo. Maybe it's just me, but part of me wonders if its the lack of strong community culture that also impedes Akron's growth? I can speak on this as someone who has been a lifelong resident of the city. The larger cities mentioned above each have stronger economies and vibrant communities/districts that have garnered attention from tourists and media, like Over-the-Rhine in Cincinnati, the Short North and German Village in Columbus, University Circle, Tremont and Ohio City in Cleveland, and Squirrel Hill and Oakland in Pittsburgh. Akron's most vibrant community is arguably Highland Square, but it would be a real stretch to say that it even remotely rivals any of the others mentioned above in terms of culture, things to do and see, etc. Yet these are precisely the types of communities that will hook natives and newcomers alike into picking up stakes and relocating into town, as well as motivate college grads to stick around at least for a couple years after walking across the stage. Beyond Highland Square, Downtown, and maybe Wallhaven, so much of the city just seems tired and on life support these days. Northside, much like Highland Square, is also promoted as an arts community of sorts, but it remains more a destination district than a casual authentic community. Places like North Hill and Middlebury east of UA once thrived and still have the potential to do so again, while Kenmore has been pretty much written off and left for dead. Goodyear Heights, Firestone Park, and Ellet are kinda just sitting around, motionless and quietly aging into decline and obscurity. City leadership has done little to nothing to empower communities to act on their own behalf and address their issues. Community non-profits are virtually nonexistent. I've believed for awhile that a rail line direct to Cleveland from Akron would at least bring south some of the overflow demand for urban living there, but then I ask what is it that is drawing people back into Cleveland in the first place and why does Akron lack it? The above might not be the full story, but it's what I make of things.

I agree that the pace of development in Akron has been painfully slow. Unless you train your eyes to watch UA and the city's hospitals, progress moves about as fast here as moss grows on rocks. There's certainly room for the East End development to expand, though. Goodyear has quite a bit of old parking lot space along Goodyear Blvd and off East Market that could easily become home to new mixed used development. Or townhomes. Done right, the whole area has the potential to become something along the lines of a mini Columbus Arena District. You also have the Goodyear Branch Library in walking distance along Goodyear Blvd. The YMCA is there, too, although it is only a program branch and not a membership branch... Maybe it could be expanded into one? I'm not much of a bus rapid transit advocate, which I think is a bit of a half-hearted step in lieu of a long-term solution in streetcars. I do see a greater benefit for the development and the city if Metro does decide to move forward with some kind of rapid rail service that at least connects East End with Downtown, Kent State, and presumably Akron-Canton Airport, if not to other transit service/hubs in the region.

^Sounds like news that will be embraced by the often-overlooked Ellet community, which has surprisingly managed to evade attracting even so much as an Applebees up until now. The headline really should have indicated that the new Panera location would be going into Ellet, which is generally a world unto itself. When I think of East Akron, I tend to think more of the area encompassing the University of Akron, Summa, and Goodyear--what is now considered University Park. I honestly thought and hoped this would be an announcement for a Panera on East Market or East Exchange as part of one of the new developments on either street. Oh well, it could still happen.

Every time I don't think I can be any more amazed by humanity's desperation to poison and kill itself in the name of profit... I am amazed by humanity's desperation to poison and kill itself in the name of profit. This is a disaster waiting to happen. :-(

His choice to relocate to Brown street next to the former plasma building after being bought out the first time was certainly questionable, to say the least. I'm sure he caught UA/UAP off guard, but if he thinks he's going to cash in on them a second time, he might be waiting a lot longer this time. The Exchange-Brown corner is one of the key identified UA gateways, but it seems more likely at this point that they would simply just demo the plasma building and build a new one around his, much like they did with the residence hall that had to be slightly redesigned around the house owned by the UA official who got busted for impropriety while hoping to cash in on it at UA and taxpayers expense.

Wow. Now that's impressive! Can't wait to see it finished and more besides along East Market!

Highland Square is about as close as you'll get to a neighborhood with a genuine bohemian/artsy/hipster/progressive vibe in Akron proper anything like what you would find in one of the trendy Cleveland neighborhoods you mentioned. It has a handful/mix of local and chain shops and restaurants, a library and a theater. It's principal commercial/entertainment district is quite small, however, and it's not really a "square" at all. In fact, depending upon the direction and road you take, it's entirely possible to pass right through Highland Square and not even realize you were there. It's probably Akron's most walkable neighborhood though, and it is quite possible to live there and get around without a car. I wouldn't put it in the same class as Tremont, Coventry/Cle Hts. or Lakewood, but it would have to be the Akron approximation of them. Wallhaven is significantly larger and kinda reminds me of an upscale Kamms Corners in form. Lots of restaurants and stores--some unique, coffee shops and some business offices. The area tends to be geared toward established white collar professionals as well as those on the move. Also quite walkable and you can find virtually everything you need nearby, or on a short trip further west down Market into Fairlawn. It's also home to the well-stocked Acme flagship grocery store and HQ. The Merriman Valley is sort of a cross between both districts in a sense. Lots of University of Akron students and young professionals just starting off, and a number of local restaurants, bars and shops. Lots of affordable apartments too. The Valley is quite walkable, and it is home to Sand Run Metro Park. The downside, of course, would be the steep hills you need to climb to get out of the valley, which really sucks in the winter, let me tell you, heavy wear and tear on your brakes on incurred on the way back down those same hills, and in general the community's somewhat remote and isolated location in relation to the rest of the city. In general, I'd recommend Highland Square if culture matters most to you in the community where you choose to live. You'd be very hard pressed to find anything better in or around Akron as it stands right now.

^I don't understand why rail service to the Merriman Valley was shot down, and no explanation given why? :wtf: Not only is it a major northwest side commercial/entertainment destination district that would easily complement a Wallhaven stop, given the large number of UA students and young professionals that live in the valley and are likely averse to car ownership, a rail line connecting the valley to UA/Downtown via Wallhaven and Highland Square seems like a no-brainer. As far as the overall picture of rail service in the Akron-Canton+Kent/Portage area, there is a pretty solid case to be made for some kind of a regional partnership at the very least between Akron Metro RTA, SARTA and PARTA given the following key rail stops: Downtown Akron University of Akron/UA Park Goodyear HQ/Riverwalk Kent State University/Kent (PARTA) Highland Square Wallhaven Merriman Valley Akron-Canton Regional Airport/Green/North Canton (SARTA-Metro) Downtown Canton (SARTA) CAK should also factor in more heavily than they appear to be interested. Are they even aware that Cleveland Hopkins has the Red Line connecting it to Downtown Cleveland?

Much as I despise auto and fossil fuel dependence, UA Park still needs a gas station for awhile longer. My guess is the block that held the former car wash and restaurant east of the stadium.

For a downtown that is trying to preserve its heritage and revitalize itself at the same time, it seems like such a major setback that the city gave the go-ahead to demo a building that contributed to its very modest skyline... only to replace it with a suburbanesque design that belongs on a generic strip mall outlot up in Belden Village. :roll: Downtown Canton certainly benefits from having a YMCA, but it's too bad they couldn't have redeveloped the existing building for another use (offices, apartments, etc.) while building the new YMCA on one of the all too numerous parking lots nearby. Alas, shortsighted thinking and the car culture mentality prevails once again.

The new Bridgestone Tech Center really isn't all that far away from downtown proper. It's actually close enough that continued redevelopment of South Main could eventually result in it becoming part of a revitalized "near-downtown" district, possibly with a technology theme. Goodyear's new HQ is a bit of a different story, though. Both location decisions were likely influenced by the companies' "company town" legacies, a.k.a. Goodyear Heights and Firestone Park. Although both Goodyear and Firestone divested themselves of active interests in their respective communities decades ago, apparently there is some lingering desire on the part of each company to be close to its roots. I do agree though that Downtown Akron would have benefitted greatly from having a tech corridor anchored by the new Goodyear and Bridgestone buildings. But Goodyear won't move to South Main any more than Bridgestone would set up shop along East Market.

^Very interesting news and tidbits, Gramarye. Thanks for posting. My random thoughts: -The Knight Center could definitely benefit from having more adjacent hotel space. The city has not even come close to maximizing its economic potential since it was built, and there never really has been any kind of a coherent plan put forth or enacted to do so. It was just built and then pretty much expected to stand and function on its own. UA buying up Quaker Square for more student housing made sense from the standpoint of supporting the university's growth, but it conversely made the Knight Center even less attractive as a venue for conventions with no other full service hotel available until recently. But the Ramada and Testa's plans for a Northside hotel won't suffice. A good convention center should have at least a few hotels immediately adjacent to it and preferably attached somehow. Maybe the developer from Charleston will be the one to realize this? -Personally, I think the Manna building leaves much to be desired. The design is totally lackluster and underwhelming, and the fenced in parking lot on the street is just sad. It certainly adds no value to the surrounding Main-Market District area, which has the potential to further evolve as arts and entertainment district in conjunction with Northside. -I'm interested in seeing how the Mayflower and Landmark buildings take shape, but I'm even more curious now about the Beacon Journal rail station and what will become of it. -Ultimately, Downtown Akron looks like it is re-developing initially at opposite ends, North Main-Market and South Main-Exchange. It would really be something to see them meet in the middle eventually. Maybe the Knight Center can serve as the bridge, or at least contribute to the building of one?

^I guess I should have been more clear about my definition of "Downtown Akron." I was also including South Main near the old Firestone HQ complex and the "Middlebury District" around East Exchange, East Market and Arlington and near the soon-to-be old Goodyear HQ complex, so maybe I was overly broad in scope. I should have just said "Central Akron" or "Downtown Akron and its surrounding districts." At ant rate, I do agree that both of these districts have some old warehouse type buildings or factories that could be renovated into residential or mixed use space.

Along with its adjacent "sister" building, it looks like a structure that was meant to last 20 years at best, but not much longer than that.

I agree with what has been said that Akron needs to provide more living options downtown for young professionals post-graduation. However, I think part of the reason why that has been slow in the making is the fact that the University has been pressed to meet housing needs for its burgeoning student enrollment. That trend may be leveling off somewhat now, so UAP in conjunction with the city might begin to focus on the next step, which involves doing what it takes to keep and lure more young professionals into the city center. Part of the dilemma I see for Akron is that, unlike Cleveland as was mentioned before, it doesn't have a lot of old empty warehouses still sitting around that can repurposed into lofts. Unfortunately the city and the rubber companies demoed a lot of these buildings during the 80s and 90s when they packed up and headed south in search of cheap non-union labor. So much of what Akron builds over the next 25 years to house new residents downtown will be entirely new, likely adding to the cost of development.

Agreed. The other, better-known APS on Broadway, Akron Public Schools, eventually plans on moving its administrative headquarters out of the former Bowen Elementary School building. This building might also be a candidate at some point for an artspace project. As a side note, I think there is also some arts potential for the "Middlebury Crossroads" district at the intersection of East Market, East Exchange and Arlington. There are several old buildings in this area that would be ideal for conversion to creative/arts spaces. Its's unfortunate though that several others, like the old Sokol's department store and the building that used to sit where the park now exists at Market and Case, have already been demoed. In some ways, the street arrangement in this area isn't unlike Wallhaven's in West Akron, with West Market, West Exchange and Hawkins all meeting each other. This area was in many respects just as vibrant as Walllhaven but suffered badly during the industrial crash during the late 70s and 80s, never quite recovering from it.

I really wanted to attend this event, but my schedule made doing so impossible. I wondered about the outcome. What interesting news! The best location for this project would be somewhere within the "Main-Market Crossroads District" which has in many respects, along with Northside, already become Downtown Akron's creative/arts district. It would definitely bring new energy and attention to the northern end of downtown, and would also likely enhance its prospects for additional development. I think the "APS" building--Akron Pregnancy Services--at the NW corner of the East Market-North Broadway intersection could be a prime candidate for this type of project. It's a two story building with what could become storefront space for galleries and shops at the ground level. Placing the artspace here might also create some positive synergy between it and the Summit Artspace building nearby.

^I'll second that. Gave myself a self-guided tour of Lima about a year ago. The West Elm/West Market Street was definitely the nicest part of the city that I saw, with a number of two-story homes, fairly well-maintained. Not to say that there was much "wrong" with other parts of town, but I did get the general sense that there hasn't been much in the way of new economic development or investment going on around town for many years, as is typical for a smaller rust belt city. Downtown Lima was pretty quiet with little traffic, even for rush hour. The majority of the housing stock throughout Lima appeared to be small cape cods built during the post-WWII era, some better maintained than others. I honestly can't imagine that your friend would have too much trouble renting one.

^I was thinking about the area along West Market around Summit Mall. Definitely not Montrose.

Actually Farilawn is thriving economically. One of the few places in the region that wasnt' hit too hard by the recession. Yes it has it's sprawl but as was pointed out, it's location fairly close to downtown and the highways makes it a good location for business. Oh, and that comment about attracting anyone under 40 to work there, all of the people I know who work in Fairlawn at some office park, for law firms or in a medical related industry are under 40 and happy to be working where they do. I'm sure this company will have no problem recruiting the talent they need. Fairlawn is the Akron area's equivalent of Dublin, the virtually recession-proof Columbus suburb that manages to evade severe economic trouble and other related issues that would knock just about any other burb down to wasteland status. Also unlike most of the Akron-Canton area's other burbs, it's really not all that dull and unlivable of a place. Fairlawn has the Akron-Canton area's second most diverse selection of restaurants and shops after Belden Village, and it is close enough to Sand Run Park and the Merriman Valley for genuine outdoor fun and entertainment. It's also somewhat walkable, though I still wouldn't live there without a car. I can definitely see the appeal it would have as a place to live for young professionals 40 and under who are looking to settle down and start a family. Very good schools too in the Copley-Fairlawn District. For these reasons I concur that Fairlawn will likely be around for quite a while yet.

Wasn't a big fan of the previous location, but I do think Highland Square will be a great new location for them in a district that will benefit from its being there.

Not sure. There is speculation that it could be replaced with a mixed-use multi-level building of some kind. Or even another residence hall.

^I see. That seems much more suitable for that particular intersection then. Good to hear that UPA intends to build multi-level on Market.

^Re: The Parking Deck -- I wondered too why the retail space was angled that way. Maybe they were hoping for a coffee shop or a small casual restaurant (e.g. Subway) to locate in it? It would also be a great location for some kind of regional welcome/travel center, similar to Positively Cleveland's space at Euclid and E. 4th Street in Cleveland. Nothing has been there though since it was completed. It would be interesting to see it finally take shape and supplement the shops and restaurants on the opposite side of Market. Maybe being located in a parking deck just isn't all that attractive? This could change, however, if the Market-Main district continues to grow and receive new investment, shops and apartments.

^Why couldn't the BoE just vacate part of the building and then relocate or set up one of its own charter school programs inside of the vacant part? I agree that a quality education option downtown might keep more central city residents more or less in place once they have kids.