yanni_gogolak

Regarding FirstEnergy: from the City: “What we know is that FirstEnergy is coming to the end of their lease, and that their desire is to stay downtown,” from FirstEnergy: “We are an Akron company and we prefer to remain an Akron company,” This sounds like two different things to me. In regards to hospitals being "land-locked", it's pretty easy to tell someone how to spend their money. A surface lot compared to deck space is about $25k difference at minimum, per space.

The Cleveland Institute of Art nears completion of its $75 million expansion and renovation at Uptown By Steven Litt, The Plain Dealer on December 10, 2014 at 8:20 AM, updated December 10, 2014 at 9:55 AM CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland Institute of Art's long journey toward unification of its bifurcated campus in University Circle is nearing completion after nearly two decades of dreaming, three college presidents, a couple of recessions and several changes in architects. On Tuesday, President Grafton Nunes conducted a hardhat tour of the art institute's new George Gund Building, a nearly 80,000-square-foot addition to the college's Joseph McCullough Center for the Visual Arts at 11610 Euclid Ave. http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2014/12/the_cleveland_institute_of_art.html#incart_related_stories

Yes, I assume they are just going to close the on/off ramps for the cost. I don't see how they could do much more.

Primarily the areas adjacent to Exchange Street. Between Grant and Route 8. Like the Stadium parking lot on Exchange where Joe's Sun Bar was? big loss, yikes. Maybe Greek Village? Nothing lost there. It is empty now so I see somewhat of a point there. Everywhere else is pretty developed. That's why I am confused as to what you are referring to. I'm not here to say Joe's Sun Bar was spectacular. But the lost businesses that lined Exchange at least added a vibrancy, and the sense of a walkable business district. Infocision, as great as it is a venue, is a dead zone 95 percent of the time. Also, it appears to have inspired no spin off development whatsoever. Unless you want to count the ample parking that now exists. If agree they would have added some retail in the bottom of that parking garage it would have been a lot better. And there was a nice corridor created when there was retail on the stadium side. The Master Plan however would put more dorms in that parking lot next to the stadium.

Akron moving forward with Innerbelt project Beacon Journal staff report Published: December 5, 2014 - 10:43 AM | Updated: December 5, 2014 - 10:43 AM The city of Akron finally is moving forward with a project that has been discussed for years: doing away with the Innerbelt. Plans call for Dart Avenue and Rand Avenue, both one-way streets, to be improved and eventually to be the northbound and southbound routes through the center of the city, replacing the state Route 59 corridor also known as the Innerbelt. http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/akron-moving-forward-with-innerbelt-project-1.546973

Two anchors opening at Portage Crossing in Cuyahoga Falls By Betty Lin-Fisher Beacon Journal business writer Published: December 3, 2014 - 09:32 PM | Updated: December 4, 2014 - 01:08 PM CUYAHOGA FALLS: The two major anchor tenants of the Cuyahoga Falls’ Portage Crossing complex are opening this week: Giant Eagle’s food lovers’ destination Market District on Thursday and Cinemark’s 10-screen complex on Friday. The two anchors celebrated the lead-up to their openings with VIP and friends-and-family events. Giant Eagle’s opening Thursday includes an appearance by celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, who stars on Bravo’s cooking show Top Chef and is a James Beard award winner. Colicchio will be selling and signing his books at 11:30 a.m., noon and 12:30 p.m. More than 500 free tickets have already been claimed for the appearances, with hundreds more available at www.MarketDistrict.com/Portage-Crossing-Events. http://www.ohio.com/news/local/two-anchors-opening-at-portage-crossing-in-cuyahoga-falls-1.546554

So they should be reaching China any day now.... Or the Indian Ocean...depending on how literal you want to be. :-P They are going to scrap the building and put a natural gas well on the site.

Primarily the areas adjacent to Exchange Street. Between Grant and Route 8. Like the Stadium parking lot on Exchange where Joe's Sun Bar was? big loss, yikes. Maybe Greek Village? Nothing lost there. It is empty now so I see somewhat of a point there. Everywhere else is pretty developed. That's why I am confused as to what you are referring to.

It would have been nice for them to have recognized a slowdown in campus development before they turned half of the Exchange strip into parking lots that likely will remain parking lots for the foreseeable future. What areas are "bombed out". I know Kent and Akron are both close in proximity but the cities themselves are very different and not comparable in this manner. That's like saying Ohio University and Cleveland State should learn from each other. It's my understanding this has always been planned. They had a Master Plan done years ago and had it updated again last year by one of the leaders in Master Planning in the country. All of the teardowns and new vacant lots have sucked alot of energy away from this area. Entire blocks of houses are gone. The neighborhood reminds me of the poorer areas of Appalachia in some ways. My comparison of then vs. now is based on my attendance at Akron during 1990's. Even without the nice, new buildings or football stadium, there were more businesses around, and it was livelier and more interesting back then. Again, what area are you referring to?

Akron Children’s Hospital offers sneak peek at new $200 million expansion By Cheryl Powell Beacon Journal medical writer Published: November 30, 2014 - 11:09 PM | Updated: December 1, 2014 - 11:31 AM Even without all the equipment, furnishings and other finishing touches, the newest addition to Akron’s pediatric hospital is taking shape. Akron Children’s Hospital recently began offering staff, community leaders and donors a sneak peek at its $200 million expansion project with tours of the Kay Jewelers Pavilion under construction on the downtown campus. http://www.ohio.com/news/local/akron-children-s-hospital-offers-sneak-peek-at-new-200-million-expansion-1.545718

Hall of Fame Village has its own thread: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,29768.0.html

It would have been nice for them to have recognized a slowdown in campus development before they turned half of the Exchange strip into parking lots that likely will remain parking lots for the foreseeable future. What areas are "bombed out". I know Kent and Akron are both close in proximity but the cities themselves are very different and not comparable in this manner. That's like saying Ohio University and Cleveland State should learn from each other. It's my understanding this has always been planned. They had a Master Plan done years ago and had it updated again last year by one of the leaders in Master Planning in the country.

That's incredible! It is. All of the new Akron area hotels have gone up just beyond the city limits--in Montrose, on South Arlington in Springfield Township, etc. Of course, the city hasn't exactly been aggressive in attracting new ones. Even UA could probably benefit from having more near campus. Since it devoured Quaker Square, it doesn't have any designated campus hotels in proximity, which seems rather unusual for a university of its size. They are working on it: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,8063.420.html

The fence begs to differ with your assessment. It was blown away! It's bland...new

Fawcett to be renamed Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Fawcett Stadium, which is one of the cornerstone pieces to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's new village concept, will be named Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Benson is the owner of the New Orleans Saints and his $11 million donation to the Hall of Fame's expansion efforts is the largest individual gift in the Hall's history. Fawcett Stadium was built at a cost of $500,000 more than 75 years ago. A gift of $11 million and a strong belief in the future of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is changing the name of Stark County’s most-identifiable venue. The new stadium, which is one of the cornerstone pieces to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s new village concept, will be named Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Read more: http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20141123/Sports/141129681#ixzz3K0YXh03m

Nice, love that mural.

Akron celebrates first new hotel since the 1980s By Jim Mackinnon Beacon Journal business writer Published: November 18, 2014 - 08:36 PM | Updated: November 19, 2014 - 07:10 AM The first hotel built in Akron in more than three decades is officially open for business. The Hilton Garden Inn, a key part of Industrial Realty Group’s East End redevelopment project of the former Goodyear campus, held its grand opening late Tuesday afternoon. http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/akron-celebrates-first-new-hotel-since-the-1980s-1.542184

They are all over the place in regards to design.

Very ambitious to say the least. They have set aside a lot of large retail spaces. Too big for any of those to be restaurants so the "Laneway" will most likely resemble E. 4th St. "NYC style monumental arch and gate" I have no clue what this is supposed to reference.

/\/\ Agreed, but they killed that when they did the latest expansion.

Meijer grocery store could be coming to former Stow-Kent Plaza instead of residential neighborhood By Paula Schleis Beacon Journal staff writer Published: November 12, 2014 - 07:26 PM STOW: Developers want to dump plans for a new residential neighborhood at the former Stow-Kent Plaza in exchange for a Meijer grocery/department/garden super store and gas station, the first of its kind in Northeast Ohio. In a 3-2 vote this week, the Stow Planning Commission approved a conditional zoning certificate and site plan for the project. The matter now goes to the City Council’s Planning Committee, which could discuss and vote on the matter Monday before passing it to the whole of City Council next Thursday. http://www.ohio.com/news/local/meijer-grocery-store-could-be-coming-to-former-stow-kent-plaza-instead-of-residential-neighborhood-1.540410

Density = good, design = ehhh

Timken Co’s new, open headquarters a bump up By Jim Mackinnon Beacon Journal business writer Published: November 10, 2014 - 10:31 PM JACKSON TWP.: Timken Co.’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Kyle, was involved in a “casual collision” early Monday inside the bearing company’s recently finished headquarters. It was all good. There were no injuries, just an exchange of pleasantries. Actually, so-called casual collisions — basically, informal and unexpected encounters — are an intentional consequence of the building’s design. /\/\/\ Nice looking interiors

This is interesting. The University has put out a call for proposals from developers for the Martin Center. The Martin Center was a multi-function facility housing the Development Offices, a restaurant and banquet space. The Development Offices have moved out and they don't use the facility for functions anymore. I would assume they are trying to utilize the Student Center now. The University has proposed a boutique hotel use for the building. The developers will have to figure out if this would be at all feasible or they could come in with some other use. The University is looking to lease the building. http://www.uakron.edu/dotAsset/7de1f794-3d96-4048-8a05-8c75cca8e486.pdf

Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh, director Wes Anderson suggest starting amusement park in Akron By Stephanie Warsmith Beacon Journal staff writer Published: November 5, 2014 - 10:54 PM An amusement park ... in Akron. The idea may seem far-fetched — and it may well be — but it earned a mention in a recent book and a Time Magazine article published this week. Whimsical director Wes Anderson poses the concept in the foreword to a new book about Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh, with whom he’s collaborated on several movies. http://www.ohio.com/news/local/devo-s-mark-mothersbaugh-director-wes-anderson-suggest-starting-amusement-park-in-akron-1.538534 TIME Magazine article: https://time.com/3556593/wes-anderson-mark-mothersbaugh-theme-park/#3556593/wes-anderson-mark-mothersbaugh-theme-park/