July 12, 20213 yr Developer shares plans for new, affordable housing units at Routes 43, 261 in Kent Kaitlyn McGarvey Record-Courier More affordable housing could be in store for the south side of Kent near the intersection of Route 43 and Route 261. Pete Schwiegeraht of MVAH Partners, a real estate developer working with the property owner, told city council that plans are still being conceptualized. However, they currently envision the property being host to two multi-story buildings with their own entrances and amenities. Each building would house about 75 units. One building would be for senior housing and the other affordable housing for lower-income families. https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/2021/07/10/developer-shares-conceptual-plans-new-affordable-housing-kent-portage-ohio-zoning/7900156002/
July 16, 20213 yr The second story is done and the third floor is being prepped for the concrete pour.
July 23, 20213 yr Kent (7-13-21, 7-21-21) Kent's Erie Depot, longtime home of the Pufferbelly restaurant (and briefly Treno) will become a new location for Lager & Vine Gastropub & Wine Bar from Hudson. Franklin Avenue between Main and Erie streets will remain closed through at least the end of the summer. The new pedestrianized space is pretty popular (combined with the Kent DORA), and hasn't had any local complaints. The City, which has put out painted barriers, picnic tables and umbrellas has recently strung lights over the roadway. Hasawi Building - 2 stories of retail below 4 stories of apartments Next door to the under construction Hasawi Building is the future site of Kent West Apartments - 6 Story, 47 Unit apartment building The North Water streetscape project (Main Street to the Fairchild Avenue bridge) is nearly complete. The project reduced the width of the roadway through the addition of angled parking and sidewalk bump-outs at intersections. The streetscape enhancements were pursued a few years after the Star of the West Flour Mill closed, greatly reducing the amount of truck traffic on the roadway. Northing official has been announced for the former mill and adjoining office buildings. One of the first new business to open on North Water Street is Dirty Skate Co. They join existing businesses including Scribbles Coffee Co. And Bent Tree Coffee Roasters The City of Kent recently said that there has been an uptick in bidders for three buildings they own on North Water since the streetscape projects completion. The city acquired the properties a number of years ago to help spur investment on the north side of downtown. Here are two of the buildings just north of the former mill. Ongoing renovation of 257 North Water into commercial space, with apartments above. North Water Street at Brady Street At the north end of the street, North Water Brewing Co. has become a popular destination after opening last fall. Here's the new brewery just east of the Portage Hike and Bike Trail The Hike and Bike Trail, which currently connects Kent to Ravenna, had ended soon after its crossing of the Cuyahoga (just behind the L.N. Gross Company Building on Gougler Avenue pictured below). Currently underway is a project to widen the existing pedestrian riverwalk to a shared-use path width. The widened trail near Brady's Leap. Once completed cyclists will be able to continue south from the Cuyahoga crossing, underneath Fairchild towards the center of Kent. A new ramp here will allow cyclists to walk up to the Main Street bridge. On Gougler Avenue, directly west of the hike and bike trail project is the new Bell Tower Brewing Co. The new brewery and trail widening project are both expected to open by the end of this summer.
July 23, 20213 yr Lots of amazing progress! Love the closing of Franklin next to the Erie Depot to traffic and the creation of a great public space. And thanks for the memories.... A bizarre fellow railfan from Kent who I knew back in the 1980s loved to pretend to be a cop -- except he would beat up on another person (actually another twisted friend of his). He did his 'show" on the other side of this fence during weekend nights when area bars were busy so that other people were around would see his "show" but couldn't easily intervene. I used to think it was funny when I was 20 years old but it stopped being funny when the pretend cop actually got a job as a real cop in Kent. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 23, 20213 yr Kent (7-13-21, 7-19-21) The view of downtown from the future site of Kent City Hall. The former police station will be torn down in the next couple of months to make room for the new city hall. The project is currently out to bid. The expected completion date for the building is late 2022, but will likely take longer due to building supply and labor shortages. Kent State and the city are partnering on a new seasonal outdoor ice rink downtown. It'll be placed here on Erie Street between the PARTA Kent Central Gateway and the hotel. Just a few blocks east down Rt-59, Starbucks recently announced that they are closing their location at South Lincoln Street. The building, along with the remainder of the block is owned by KSU. The university had outlined the block as the future site of an Interdisciplinary Studios and Innovation/Retail Zone in their gateway master plan. There had been concerns about the buildings future since the university bought the structure, but that master plan appeared to show the structure being preserved and incorporated into new buildings on the block. For now though, all three retails spots in the building are vacant. Planning is currently underway for the East Main Street Project which will enhance the streetscape and safety features of the roadway that separates much of Kent State campus from the city. The project will begin with a new roundabout at the 5 way intersection of Willow, Main and Haymaker Parkway. The project will continue eastward for ~.7 miles, addressing the multiple unsignalized pedestrian crossings which have high accident rates. This work will be done in conjunction with the University on its front campus transformation project which will include a new College of Business Administration building fronting East Main. Many aspects of that project have yet to be finalized though as the University readjusts its capital expenditures plans post pandemic. The parking deck initially proposed in 2018 is supposedly no longer going to be included in the project. At the west end of the East Main Street project an additional roundabout will be built at the intersection with Horning Road. The new roundabout will impact the field currently used by the marching band adjacent to the Center for the Preforming Arts. This has been used as a partial justification for the planned closure of one of the two rinks at the ice arena which will be converted into an indoor practice facility for the marching band. Community pushback to the closure of the recreational rink may have contributed to the University's decision to help fund the new seasonal outdoor ice rink downtown.
July 23, 20213 yr 39 minutes ago, NorthShore647 said: Kent (7-13-21, 7-19-21) own in the next couple of months to make room for the new city hall. The project is currently out to bid. The expected completion date for the building is late 2022, but will likely take longer due to building supply and labor shortages. Kent State and the city are partnering on a new seasonal outdoor ice rink downtown. It'll be placed here on Erie Street between the PARTA Kent Central Gateway and the hotel. Just a few blocks east down Rt-59, Starbucks recently announced that they are closing their location at South Lincoln Street. The building, along with the remainder of the block is owned by KSU. The university had outlined the block as the future site of an Interdisciplinary Studios and Innovation/Retail Zone in their gateway master plan. There had been concerns about the buildings future since the university bought the structure, but that master plan appeared to show the structure being preserved and incorporated into new buildings on the block. For now though, all three retails spots in the building are vacant. Planning is currently underway for the East Main Street Project which will enhance the streetscape and safety features of the roadway that separates much of Kent State campus from the city. The project will begin with a new roundabout at the 5 way intersection of Willow, Main and Haymaker Parkway. The project will continue eastward for ~.7 miles, addressing the multiple unsignalized pedestrian crossings which have high accident rates. This work will be done in conjunction with the University on its front campus transformation project which will include a new College of Business Administration building fronting East Main. Many aspects of that project have yet to be finalized though as the University readjusts its capital expenditures plans post pandemic. The parking deck initially proposed in 2018 is supposedly no longer going to be included in the project. At the west end of the East Main Street project an additional roundabout will be built at the intersection with Horning Road. The new roundabout will impact the field currently used by the marching band adjacent to the Center for the Preforming Arts. This has been used as a partial justification for the planned closure of one of the two rinks at the ice arena which will be converted into an indoor practice facility for the marching band. Community pushback to the closure of the recreational rink may have contributed to the University's decision to help fund the new seasonal outdoor ice rink downtown. In fact, Monday is the last day for business at Starbucks in the old Brady's Cafe location! Edited July 23, 20213 yr by dski44
July 24, 20213 yr 9 hours ago, dski44 said: the old Brady's Cafe location! Brady’s! Thank you, I couldn’t remember the name. I was a freshman at Kent in ‘91 and that was the place to hang out during the day and the Underground at night.
July 24, 20213 yr On 7/10/2021 at 3:32 AM, Silent Matt said: The one and only place I lived on campus back in the early 90s - long before they redid the facade. You managed to make it look almost inviting (almost - it's still Tri-Towers, haha). clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
July 27, 20213 yr On 7/24/2021 at 2:49 PM, MayDay said: The one and only place I lived on campus back in the early 90s - long before they redid the facade. You managed to make it look almost inviting (almost - it's still Tri-Towers, haha). Leebrick look sexy AF now.
August 1, 20213 yr Is the lot next door where Fairmount’s new building is supposed to go? I’d hate to see that blank wall stay long term.
August 1, 20213 yr 2 hours ago, JohnSummit said: Is the lot next door where Fairmount’s new building is supposed to go? I’d hate to see that blank wall stay long term. Yes, just to the left at this angle.
August 4, 20213 yr Does anyone here know what the large excavation just getting underway at the southwest corner of SR43 and Meloy Road is for?
August 4, 20213 yr 13 hours ago, JohnSummit said: Does anyone here know what the large excavation just getting underway at the southwest corner of SR43 and Meloy Road is for? There was a plan to build a nursing/assisted living complex a couple of years ago.
August 11, 20213 yr Those towers look like computer renderings from the 90's.I mean hey that's a positive then based off how old they are [emoji23]Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
August 12, 20213 yr Each + Every renovation creates space for new business in Kent's Mill District Bob Gaetjens Record-Courier The rebirth of North Water Street’s Mill District, now several years in, continues this fall with heavy renovations at 156 N. Water Street, the home of the Kent design firm Each + Every. The structure will include Daisy Cakes -- soon to become Daisy Pops -- downstairs in a retail location, and Hazelmade and Each + Every upstairs, said Nate Mucha, Each + Every president and part owner of the building. https://www.record-courier.com/story/business/2021/08/12/each-every-project-makes-space-business-kents-mill-district/8096615002/
August 20, 20213 yr On 7/24/2021 at 2:49 PM, MayDay said: The one and only place I lived on campus back in the early 90s - long before they redid the facade. You managed to make it look almost inviting (almost - it's still Tri-Towers, haha). Ha still Tri-Towers for me too. I was in Koonce Hall for a bit. https://www.instagram.com/cle_and_beyond/https://www.instagram.com/jbkaufer/
August 23, 20213 yr On 8/3/2021 at 8:06 PM, JohnSummit said: Does anyone here know what the large excavation just getting underway at the southwest corner of SR43 and Meloy Road is for? 'State-of-the-art' nursing home on Route 43 anticipates 2022 opening Kaitlyn McGarvey Record-Courier The nursing home will house 96 patient beds and have 35 to 40 staff members in the building at any one time. The facility will be mid-sized for a nursing home. Heritage of Brimfield Skilled Nursing will care for a combination of long-term care patients and shorter term rehabilitation patients. Hospitals often refer patients to nursing homes for short-term care after they have undergone surgeries, such as knee or hip replacements. Long-term care is performed for elderly patients who are near the end of their life. https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/2021/08/20/state-art-nursing-home-route-43-anticipates-2022-opening/5498325001/
September 30, 20213 yr 22 hours ago, Silent Matt said: 3 Floors are done. Somewhat oddly, the second floor has the tallest ceilings. I like the penguin in the foreground.
September 30, 20213 yr 2 hours ago, jeremyck01 said: I like the penguin in the foreground. Haha, thanks! That’s my new buddy, Murray.
October 4, 20213 yr KSU Aeronautics & Engineering program celebrates the future with planned addition Bob Gaetjens Record-Courier Kent State University is celebrating the future with the groundbreaking for a 44,000-square-foot addition to the College of Aeronautics & Engineering building. The addition will expand the existing 55,000-square-foot facility, according to Dr. Christina Bloebaum, dean of the College of Aeronautics & Engineering. https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/education/campus/2021/10/02/ksu-aeronautics-engineering-celebrate-addition-ground-breaking-kent-state/5955994001/?utm_source=record-courier-Daily Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=OHIO-KENTRAVENNA-NLETTER65
October 5, 20213 yr 21 hours ago, yanni_gogolak said: KSU Aeronautics & Engineering program celebrates the future with planned addition Bob Gaetjens Record-Courier Kent State University is celebrating the future with the groundbreaking for a 44,000-square-foot addition to the College of Aeronautics & Engineering building. The addition will expand the existing 55,000-square-foot facility, according to Dr. Christina Bloebaum, dean of the College of Aeronautics & Engineering. https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/education/campus/2021/10/02/ksu-aeronautics-engineering-celebrate-addition-ground-breaking-kent-state/5955994001/?utm_source=record-courier-Daily Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=OHIO-KENTRAVENNA-NLETTER65 Awesome!! Kent's campus has really changed over the last 20 years...for the better!! As stated in my last post, these are investments...19.6 million must not be breaking the bank for the school.
October 5, 20213 yr Work progresses on six-story building on the corner of Franklin and East Erie in Kent Staff Report Work is coming along on a six-story building on the corner of Franklin Avenue and West Erie Street in Kent. Economic Development Director Tom Wilke said work is progressing on the building, but that it still has a long way to go. Plans call for a restaurant, a bar and a bakery on the lower levels and 16 apartments spread throughout the top four floors. The building is being built at the site of the former Ramella's Pizza and Mug's Brew Pub. A corporation owned by Badreeyeh Alhasawi owns the property. There is no completion date. https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/2021/10/05/work-progresses-six-story-building-franklin-and-east-erie-intersection-kent/5928665001/?utm_source=record-courier-Daily Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=OHIO-KENTRAVENNA-NLETTER65
October 8, 20213 yr Hasawai Building update. 4th floor went up pretty quick. There was a month or two in the summer when no work was going on but it's back on track.
October 12, 20213 yr Bell Tower Brewing Co. to open later this month, offers sneak-peek at soft opening events Bob Gaetjens Record-Courier If all goes according to plan, it should be only a few weeks until beer lovers have another destination to visit in downtown Kent. Bell Tower Brewing Co. is set to open sometime near the end of October, according to part-owner and General Manager Ryan Tipton. https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/2021/10/11/bell-tower-brewing-co-open-later-month-kent/5917445001/?utm_source=record-courier-Daily Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=list_article_thumb&utm_content=OHIO-KENTRAVENNA-NLETTER65
October 23, 20213 yr Thanks for unlocking it "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 29, 20213 yr Kent State lays out plans for intergenerational community on campus Bob Gaetjens Record-Courier Kent State University is looking for a developer to bring its concept for an intergenerational community on campus to fruition. The concept was developed as part of the university's Gateway Master Plan, which was adopted in March 2018. The project would be centered around Allerton Street, just west of Campus Center Drive and envisions residents of all ages living and sharing common spaces together. https://www.record-courier.com
October 31, 20213 yr Kent State University's 10-year plan for the future delayed, reshaped by pandemic Bob Gaetjens Record-Courier Although the first of three phases of Kent State University’s Gateway Master plan was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, progress continues on building the future of the campus. “We’re still in Phase 1,” said Jay Graham, executive director of facilities, planning and design and university architect in a recent interview with the Record-Courier. https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/2021/10/31/ksu-gateway-master-plan-delayed-reshaped-covid-19-pandemic/8505524002/?utm_source=record-courier-Daily Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=OHIO-KENTRAVENNA-NLETTER65
November 2, 20213 yr Love the Intergenerational Community project and the University beginning to fill in the gap and develop the land between Schoonover Stadium and the campus. Lots of open space that way. I still wish the University would study an on campus football stadium. Renovations to Dix stadium just aren't worth it...period. SE corner of campus is perfect...I'm telling ya!!! GO FLASHES!! Edited November 2, 20213 yr by OhioFinest
November 23, 20213 yr Kent residents urge council to get involved in KSU's intergenerational village plans Kaitlyn McGarvey Record-Courier Some Chadwick Drive residents are asking Kent officials to get more involved in Kent State's plans to create an Intergenerational Village. The university hosted a meeting about the intergenerational community concept in late October. In response, residents of the city's southeast neighborhood hosted its own meeting attended by about 30 people, Chadwick Drive resident John Thomas said. He told city council last week that in the span of about an hour, they compiled a list of 40 concerns about the proposed development. https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/2021/11/23/residents-urge-kent-councils-involvement-intergenerational-village/8718220002/
November 23, 20213 yr November 21, 2021 04:00 AM Competition for Ohio dispensary licenses is red hot Jeremy Nobile Off state Route 261 on the outskirts of Kent's university-powered downtown is a unique but troubled property known as "The Dome" that has struggled to keep a stable tenant throughout its many incarnations. In years past, The Dome — which features an actual geodesic dome — has been home to a strip club, a restaurant and, most recently, an indie music venue. It's an eye-catching building, compared with the neighborhood and office buildings surrounding it. Yet, today, it sits empty and in disrepair. https://www.crainscleveland.com/cannabis/competition-ohio-marijuana-dispensary-licenses-red-hot-presenting-windfall-some-property
November 26, 20213 yr Kent nears accepting nearly $8.8 million estimated price tag for city hall project Kaitlyn McGarvey Record-Courier If all goes as planned, construction on the new Kent City Hall building could begin as early as February, with a price tag of about $8.8 million. The city is prepared to issue and sell $9.1 million in bonds to pay for the project. Service Director Melanie Baker said that about $300,000 will be used for the demolition of the old police station at the corner of South Water Street and Haymaker Parkway, which is the site of the new city hall. That money will come from the police capital fund. Subtracting that amount from the lowest bid puts the cost of the building closer to the $8.3 million estimate given to the city by its architect, Brandstetter Carroll, Inc. https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/2021/11/25/kent-nears-accepting-8-8-million-price-tag-city-hall/8718246002/
December 15, 20213 yr Neighbors of proposed intergenerational housing project in Kent continue to voice concerns Bob Gaetjens Record-Courier Eric Nichols, owner of Eric Does Data, conducted a survey on the Intergenerational Village with responses from 55 individuals mostly from around the possible development site. According to the results, most participants are “very concerned” about the idea. When it comes to questions surrounding cost, 66% of responses are listed as “very concerned;” for questions regarding the environment, 81% are “very concerned” responses; for health matters, 55% are “very concerned;” for legal matters, 70% of responses are “very concerned;” for planning issues, 76% of responses are “very concerned;” and for matters of safety, 62% of responses are “very concerned.” https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/2021/12/15/neighbors-proposed-housing-project-kent-continue-voice-concerns-intergenerational-village/8895775002/
February 8, 20223 yr Business development moving ahead in Kent despite COVID, labor shortage Diane Smith Record-Courier Despite supply chain problems that have driven up building costs, new buildings are being constructed in Kent, some companies are expanding and only a few have closed, the city's economic development director recently told Kent City Council. Tom Wilke, Kent's economic development director, gave an update on economic development projects that had taken place in 2021 as well as projects still in the works. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2022/02/06/kent-businesses-still-expanding-building-despite-covid/6662753001/
February 8, 20223 yr At one time I was a fixture on the Kent scene but it has been many, many years since l have been back there. So after reading about the new school of architecture and all the additions to downtown l decided to visit again. This was last summer. Man was l impressed. The college was always a bit removed from downtown which l thought was a fail. Siting the new architecture school on the fringe of campus nearer to downtown helps to merge the two. But the biggest change was all the new additions to downtown. There are so many that l lost my bearings. It's not two street Kent anymore. And all the new buildings fit seamlessly with the old. Why it's almost as if someone knew what they were doing lol. The best design doesn't focus on the individual building but on how ALL the structures (new and old) relate to each other and the street. Kent seems to do that without looking like one of those New Urbanisn towns. Ex. Seaside in Florida. I was impressed and could see myself living there.
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