September 13, 20222 yr Author Knight Foundation gives UA $20 million to renovate and rename downtown Polsky Building Doug Livingston Akron Beacon Journal The Knight Foundation is giving the University of Akron $20 million to renovate and rename classroom and learning space at the downtown Polsky Building into a “hub of civic engagement.” The foundation announced the award, along with $11 million in other grants, at its annual philanthropic event in support of the arts in Akron on Sunday evening. The foundation said the newly renovated Polsky Building will bear the names of its founding brothers: John S. and James L. Knight. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/education/2022/09/12/knight-foundation-grants-ua-20-million-for-polsky-bulding-renovation/69485585007/?utm_source=beaconjournal-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=list_article_thumb&utm_content=NABJ-OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65
October 4, 20222 yr Author September 29, 2022 02:06 PM Two iconic downtown Akron buildings to be auctioned Dan Shingler Two of downtown Akron's iconic buildings are being put up for auction. The Canal Square building, a 15-story, 112,000-square-foot apartment building with 79 units, is listed for an online auction set for Oct. 31-Nov. 3 with an opening bid of $2.7 million, confirmed Joel Testa, president and COO of Testa Cos., which owns the building. It will be followed to the block by another iconic Akron building in Testa Cos.' portfolio, the former City Center Hotel, known more recently as Ascend. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/two-iconic-downtown-akron-buildings-be-auctioned?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D13994124093027151001301156182160271322|MCORGID%3D138FFF2554E6E7220A4C98C6%40AdobeOrg|TS%3D1664912203&CSAuthResp=1%3A%3A209081%3A37%3A24%3Asuccess%3AE8B536C25855D427ECCA141D76158269
November 10, 20222 yr Author Akron approves demolition of former B.F. Goodrich power plant Mark J. Price Akron Beacon Journal A former symbol of Akron’s industrial strength will tumble to the ground. Akron City Council this week voted unanimously to tear down the old B.F. Goodrich power plant at 538 S. Main St. The city has received nearly $5 million in state grants for the project, which is estimated to cost $6.6 million total. The city authorized Public Service Director Chris Ludle to enter into a contract for the demolition and removal of the structure on the east side of the Ohio & Erie Canal. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2022/11/10/former-b-f-goodrich-power-plant-to-be-demolished-in-akron/69630107007/?utm_source=beaconjournal-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=list_article_thumb&utm_content=NABJ-OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65
November 11, 20222 yr On 11/10/2022 at 9:40 AM, yanni_gogolak said: Akron approves demolition of former B.F. Goodrich power plant Mark J. Price Akron Beacon Journal A former symbol of Akron’s industrial strength will tumble to the ground. Akron City Council this week voted unanimously to tear down the old B.F. Goodrich power plant at 538 S. Main St. The city has received nearly $5 million in state grants for the project, which is estimated to cost $6.6 million total. The city authorized Public Service Director Chris Ludle to enter into a contract for the demolition and removal of the structure on the east side of the Ohio & Erie Canal. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2022/11/10/former-b-f-goodrich-power-plant-to-be-demolished-in-akron/69630107007/?utm_source=beaconjournal-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=list_article_thumb&utm_content=NABJ-OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65 Damn. Those smokestacks are iconic. Nuisance issues aside, Akron is tearing down a core part of its identity. This is sad.
November 23, 20222 yr Author Can it be saved? Frustrated owner doesn’t want to raze old Beacon Journal building Mark J. Price Akron Beacon Journal Michael Mouron doesn’t want to tear down the former Beacon Journal building in downtown Akron. The founder of Capstone Real Estate Investments in Birmingham, Alabama, has sunk nearly $2 million into the property at 44 E. Exchange St. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2022/11/23/businessman-hopes-someone-can-save-former-beacon-journal-building/69661849007/?utm_source=beaconjournal-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=list_article_thumb&utm_content=NABJ-OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65
February 2, 20232 yr Author Downtown Morley health building could be new home for Akron's NIHF STEM High School Jennifer Pignolet Akron Beacon Journal Akron Public Schools and the city of Akron are considering swapping properties to give the school district ownership and use of the former Morley Health Center building in downtown. The building, after extensive renovations, would become the new home of the National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM High School. It's not clear yet what property the district would give to the city in exchange. A city representative did not return a request for comment. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/education/2023/02/02/morley-health-building-could-be-new-home-for-akrons-nihf-stem-high/69855816007/?utm_source=nabj-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-briefing&utm_term=Content List - Stacking - optimized&utm_content=OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65
February 14, 20232 yr Author The Lock 3 Park project is our for bidding. This is what the pavilion design ended up as.
April 19, 20232 yr Author Moving forward: 2022-039-00 - BF Goodrich Power Plant Demolition City of Akron, OH Demolition of the BF Goodrich Power Plant and smokestacks, and the removal of the hazardous materials.
May 10, 20232 yr Lousy news for downtown Akron... https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/10/firstenergy-to-leave-downtown-akron-consolidate-offices-in-west-akron-white-pond-drive/70204756007/
May 11, 20232 yr This has been brewing for a long while, unfortunately. With 90% of the 925 people who formerly worked there now remote, there was no chance they were staying. I thought they might go a few more years because of the length of their lease, but this was in the cards for a while now. It was only a matter of time. I’m glad they’re exercising the buyout option, though. Hopefully they’ll find the right partners to do something good with the building.
May 11, 20232 yr I also posted the bad news here "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 12, 20232 yr The sliver of good news is that FirstEnergy is still staying in Akron so the city isn't totally losing that tax revenue. Ideastream had a write-up on the affect of First Energy's move out of downtown, Akron looks ahead to a Downtown without FirstEnergy. Ideastream was a little easy on FE without providing some context for quotes like; Quote "This one is particularly hard," Millard said, "because FirstEnergy is such a beacon in our downtown in terms of the building, the name, the brand, the way they've been involved." Or Quote "Obviously, FirstEnergy has had a rough few years as it's sort of adapted after lots of different things that have happened for the company, but I think that there's new leaders, there's new management," Millard said. "So there's a lot of new about FirstEnergy in our community, but what continues is everything I've seen is their commitment." No comment on what those "different things" were or how they were self-inflicted. Or how that may have damaged the brand that is important to Akron. I don't know what sort of community impact they've had in Akron, maybe they've been a good partner. I don't want to get too far off topic though. What I found interesting in the Ideastream reporting was that FE bought their downtown office building instead of trying to get out of the lease. I guess it was cheaper to buy the building that pay the remaining 10 years of the lease? Crain's picked up the reporting here, FirstEnergy's HQ move will create a hole — and an opportunity. Again a couple quotes that stood out; Quote It's one of the few buildings downtown that could be converted to modern, open office space or into residential units, said Don Taylor, CEO of the Welty Building Co. He's one of downtown Akron's most important developers, with the Bowery District and other big projects to his credit. And Quote "We have not had high-performance office space downtown," Taylor said. "And we can't afford to put in new office (developments) because we have so much Class B, C and D, crappy old space, on the market. ... We need a plan." Sounds like Akron needs follow Cleveland's lead and start converting more of this low-grade office space into residential units. FE wouldn't be the ones to convert to residential or upgrade the office space though, so what's the plan? Are they just going to turn around and sell it or hire someone to manage the renovations? Assuming this is converted to residential, one last thought from the Crain's piece. Quote If the building is suitable for a conversion to residential use, as Taylor believes it is, it's also in what could be a unique location for a residential or mixed-use development. That's because it butts up against the now-vacant Innerbelt property, about 33 acres that was the site of the city's Innerbelt highway before it was closed in 2018.
May 12, 20232 yr 13 minutes ago, Luke_S said: If the building is suitable for a conversion to residential use, as Taylor believes it is, it's also in what could be a unique location for a residential or mixed-use development. That's because it butts up against the now-vacant Innerbelt property, about 33 acres that was the site of the city's Innerbelt highway before it was closed in 2018. Visual aid in case anyone's interested. I like maps! Also, that's a very interesting area, particularly since the towpath goes through. I'm curious to see what they do with it!
May 12, 20232 yr I posted a couple days ago in the general Akron development thread that Jason Segedy was leaving his position as Planning and Urban Development Director to be replaced by Thomas Tatum, this is what Segedy left to do. The Knight foundation has donated $20M towards the total $42M project, leaving $22M for the University of Akron to raise to begin the project. Jason Segedy leaves Akron city government to focus on UofA's Polsky Building DAN SHINGLER May 04, 2023 04:04 PM Quote Much of the work that will be done on the Polsky Building, which is to be renamed after John S. and James L. Knight, will be done to renovate the interior spaces of the one-time department store. Those spaces have grown dated over the years and need both a new look and a new purpose. ... The goal is to use the building to better integrate the university with downtown, by remodeling the building's interior and creating spaces for academic and community programs, civic engagement activities, arts initiatives and other activities to benefit students and the downtown community. ... It's likely to be a fairly long gig for Segedy. An architect soon will be chosen for the project, and then plans will be made, but Segedy and Kutuchief said construction is still probably two or three years away. A timeline for finishing the project has not yet been set. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/akrons-planning-director-leaves-join-citys-university
May 12, 20232 yr On 5/10/2023 at 7:12 PM, Gramarye said: This has been brewing for a long while, unfortunately. With 90% of the 925 people who formerly worked there now remote, there was no chance they were staying. I thought they might go a few more years because of the length of their lease, but this was in the cards for a while now. It was only a matter of time. I’m glad they’re exercising the buyout option, though. Hopefully they’ll find the right partners to do something good with the building. What I would like to see is the city go after Myers Industries which had planned to move their headquarters to Cuyahoga county before reversing their decision and remaining in an outgrown South Akron location. They would be a nice replacement for some of the First Energy vacated space.
May 12, 20232 yr 31 minutes ago, vulcana said: What I would like to see is the city go after Myers Industries which had planned to move their headquarters to Cuyahoga county before reversing their decision and remaining in an outgrown South Akron location. They would be a nice replacement for some of the First Energy vacated space. Now this is an interesting idea that I'd not considered. I used to drive by that Myers Industries space on the south side all the time when my wife worked at the new (new then, still new-ish) Bridgestone lab at Firestone Blvd. Do you know what kind of work is done there? Is it the kind that could be transitioned to an office tower? I thought at least part of that big, flat building they have on the south side was warehouse and distribution space, not going to work for a tower. But I've never been inside and I know at least one guy who worked there was a sales account representative. (Admittedly, he spent--probably still spends--much of his time on the road and much of the rest working from his home office. So while his job isn't warehouse-dependent and he could work from a downtown tower, he doesn't need to, either ... Myers could be in the same position that FirstEnergy is, with enough of its workforce now remote often enough that they don't need a big central office space.)
May 12, 20232 yr 8 hours ago, Ethan said: Visual aid in case anyone's interested. I like maps! Also, that's a very interesting area, particularly since the towpath goes through. I'm curious to see what they do with it! It looks like changing up the roads is off the table for now? Do I have that right? I haven't been following this much at all. Regardless hopefully they eventually reconfigure these roads. Particularly in the northern half. As it is, the benefit to closing down this section of highway will be minimal. With a bit of tweaking this could be a much more significant change. I made a quick sketch up of one possibility. Super, super rough, but it gets the point across, much more available land. Alternative: Current:
May 12, 20232 yr 31 minutes ago, Ethan said: It looks like changing up the roads is off the table for now? Do I have that right? I haven't been following this much at all. Regardless hopefully they eventually reconfigure these roads. Particularly in the northern half. As it is, the benefit to closing down this section of highway will be minimal. With a bit of tweaking this could be a much more significant change. I made a quick sketch up of one possibility. Super, super rough, but it gets the point across, much more available land. Alternative: Current: I think the problem is the former innerbelt land is more than a couple feet below grade of the streets you've identified. @yanni_gogolak mentioned in another thread the height difference that we would have to work with. I agree with you though, rethinking the street design makes sense to maximize the land use here. Anyone have any maps or picture of this area before the innerbelt went in?
May 13, 20232 yr @Ethan here are the posts from yanni I was referring to. On 4/19/2023 at 8:51 AM, yanni_gogolak said: Where is the money for the infrastructure to develop a former concrete highway that is 10+ feet below adjacent land coming from? On 5/1/2023 at 3:22 PM, yanni_gogolak said: Yes, I am aware of it. And there have already been conversations about removing the Market St. bridge and bringing the road down to the innerbelt grade. That would be at least $1 million right there I would guess. And that would not be developing anything else that is talked about. Providing infill housing and business is a great pie in the sky idea that may have had for years. However, there is not demand for that downtown already, so why develop more? I would much rather see the North Hill area have some real money invested into it to revive interest and community in an already established neighborhood.
May 13, 20232 yr I found this map on the Summit Memory site. From that site, Description: A map of central Akron circa 1960s showing the area of the city that was removed for the Innerbelt with overlays of the Innerbelt roadway, urban renewal areas and current day buildings. Creator: City of Akron Contributor: Akron-Summit County Public Library
June 13, 20232 yr Author Akron City Council unanimously rejects request to demolish vacant Beacon Journal building Doug Livingston Akron Beacon Journal Akron City Council has unanimously denied an Alabama developer’s request to demolish the vacant Akron Beacon Journal building at 44 E. Exchange St. and put up a parking lot. After helping Capstone Real Estate Investments founder Michael Mouron list the property as a local landmark in 2021 to unlock historic preservation tax credits, Mouron's architects made one last plea at City Hall on Monday for permission to tear down the 230,000-square-foot building. The developer had several parties interested in the property as a possible new home for the Akron Police Department, a FedEx Custom Critical and an apartment complex with 100 units. But every plan fell through. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/06/12/alabama-developer-denied-request-to-demolish-empty-beacon-journal-building/70312659007/
June 26, 20231 yr 95% leased, The Standard Building in Akron is up for sale; though Capstone suggests they are more testing the market than trying to unload the building quickly. The Standard building in downtown Akron is for sale June 26, 2023 05:45 AM DAN SHINGLER Quote The Standard, which until recently was known as 22 Exchange, has been put up for sale by Alabama's Capstone Real Estate Investments. No price has been set for the building, which Capstone bought for $12.5 million in 2020. Since then, the investors have redeveloped the building, converting its interior from dormitory-style student housing to residential units that it has successfully marketed to professionals working in and around downtown Akron. Christopher Mouron, who owns Capstone and the building with his brothers, Drew and Lewis Mouron, declined to say how much was spent upgrading and converting the building. But he said he has been pleased with his firm's success in leasing it. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/big-akron-apartment-building-standard-hits-market
July 3, 20231 yr Author Akron preservationists organize hearing on B.F. Goodrich smokestacks Mark J. Price Akron Beacon Journal Progress Through Preservation of Greater Akron will have a public hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday to discuss ideas on how Akron can pay tribute to the B.F. Goodrich smokestacks and power plant. The demolition of the iconic structures is imminent. The meeting will be at 520 S. Main St. in the back lot near Summit Sports & Social and R. Shea Brewing. For motorists, the best address to plug into GPS for the hearing location is 123 W. Bartges St. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2023/07/03/akron-preservationists-organize-hearing-on-bf-goodrich-smokestacks/70373391007/?utm_source=nabj-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-briefing&utm_term=Content List - Stacking - optimized&utm_content=OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65
July 5, 20231 yr Author They have fencing up but have not really mobilized on the Lock 3 Park project. They had to build a temporary stage on the West side of the canal to continue the summer concerts. That meant tearing up the parking lot and installing grass, power, stage, etc... The deck attached to Akron Civic Theater is complete. Looks like they had scaffolding staged to paint a mural on a wall.
July 11, 20231 yr Major residential project proposed for downtown Akron July 11, 2023 05:45 AM DAN SHINGLER Quote The city is asking for proposals to redevelop the 11-story, 113,000-square-foot CitiCenter building at the corner of High and Bowery streets, less than a block from the city's big Bowery Project, at 156 S. Main St. ... Welty Building Co. and DeHoff Development Co., the developers who turned the Bowery into 92 apartments in a total of just more than 74,000 square feet of space, want to do a similar conversion of CitiCenter, said Welty CEO Donzell Taylor. It would be the second attempt to get the city-owned building sold and redeveloped. It was awarded $3 million in state historic tax credits in 2020, when Cleveland-based Weston Development was planning to spend $28 million to convert the office building into a residential building with 95 apartments. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/big-office-residential-conversion-envisioned-akron
July 11, 20231 yr Author 24 minutes ago, mrnyc said: ^ i was just wondering about projects like this for downtown --- very good news. This was previously bought by Testa. From what I understood they had plans done, not sure they were full permit drawings. They had done some destructive investigation. I would think they were also the ones that secured the historic tax credits. So it must not have penciled out for them. Also, let's not forget that they City had also sold the former YWCA building on High St. to a developer to renovate for apartments. I have not heard anything on that but I believe the City was supposed to move all of their offices out shortly after it was sold.
August 9, 20231 yr Though a good candidate for residential conversion like its neighbor, the First Energy building, Akron Center Plaza has an 85% occupancy and from the article it sounds like the tenants are frequently in the office. Major office building in downtown Akron hits the market DAN SHINGLER August 09, 2023 Quote Another major downtown Akron office building has been put up for sale. Known as Akron Center Plaza and anchored by Chase bank, the building is 195,000 square feet of class A space at 50 S. Main St., attached to the FirstEnergy building that lies just to the south. The building is being listed by JLL, said firm vice president Jordan Gasper, and the seller is McKinley Properties of Ann Arbor, Michigan. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/major-office-building-put-sale-akron
August 25, 20231 yr Don Taylor is planning to convert the YWCA building at 146 S. High St in Akron to 114 luxury apartments. He thinks he'll likely apply for a historic tax credit for the project, which it sounds like he did for the Bowery project but did not end up using. Taylor also alludes to purchasing an adjacent, city owned parking deck and building over top of that. He also mentioned that the Bowery apartments have been very popular and has a waiting list, promoting this complimentary project. Given that, Taylor has been looking for other candidates for residential conversion, hopefully that means that the First Energy and Center Plaza buildings are converted relatively quickly. More downtown apartments planned for Akron Dan Shingler | August 25th 2023 "Welty Building Co. CEO Don Taylor recently told Crain’s, “I like being the voice of optimism for downtown Akron.” True to his word as well as to his recent history, Taylor’s backing that up with investment dollars. This time, he plans to spend more than $25 million turning the city’s historic YWCA building, known in recent years as the CitiCenter building, at 146 S. High St., into at least 114 luxury apartments. ... Taylor said Welty is working to buy the buildings from the city of Akron, which had been using part of the building’s 114,000 square feet of what was then office space before the pandemic. Since then, when the city vacated it, the building has sat vacant, Taylor said." https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/developer-hopes-again-tap-luxury-apartment-market-akron
August 31, 20231 yr Akron aims to get new downtown hotel near convention center Dan Shingler August 31st 2023 "There’s a push on to get a major hotel built in downtown Akron, and the efforts are apparently gaining traction. Suzie Graham, president and CEO of the Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP), said getting the hotel has become a major goal of her organization. Such a hotel would boost the use of the John S. Knight Convention Center, she said, and DAP hopes to get it built next to or very near the convention center, which is on East Mill Street downtown. “Our visitor economy is coming back strong. It’s stronger than it was, and we have a great opportunity to secure a mid- to upscale hotel near our convention center,” said Graham, noting that the number of visitors (though not workers) who come downtown is set to eclipse pre-pandemic levels this year." https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/post-pandemic-visits-rise-akron-aims-new-hotel
September 8, 20231 yr No information on what is to become of the city owned site at 655 S. Broadway, but an interesting history of the company that occupied the space through much of the 20th century. Former industrial plant razed on edge of downtown Akron Mark J. Price 9/8/2023 Quote A demolition crew has torn down the former home of Akron Steel Treating Co. at 655 S. Broadway just north of Pearl Coffee. The company operated there for nearly 60 years before moving into a new complex at Morgan Avenue and Grant Street in 2003. ... The city bought the old plant on Broadway for $680,000 and leased it out. ... In Akron’s 2023 capital budget, the city approved spending $300,000 to demolish the building, citing structural issues. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2023/09/08/former-akron-steel-treating-plant-razed-on-south-broadway/70782760007/
October 3, 20231 yr Renowned consultant sees a bright future for Akron's Innerbelt that honors its past DAN SHINGLER October 03, 2023 Quote Akron is about to learn more about what could be its most important new development in decades — one that could produce recreation space, honor local history, and result in new housing and commercial development. It might even produce a new neighborhood that comes with its own storied history. ... Nationally renowned architect and urban planner Liz Ogbu, the founder of California’s Studio O, said she has completed her city-commissioned report recommending what to do with the land. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/liz-ogbu-develops-new-vision-akrons-innerbelt
October 4, 20231 yr On 10/3/2023 at 8:21 AM, Luke_S said: Renowned consultant sees a bright future for Akron's Innerbelt that honors its past DAN SHINGLER October 03, 2023 https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/liz-ogbu-develops-new-vision-akrons-innerbelt This is pretty awesome, I’d like to see more highway removal projects that respect their historical context
October 18, 20231 yr Author 2022-028-00 - BOUNCE Innovation Hub Expansion Type: RFP Close Date: Nov 8th 2023, 11:00 AM EST Project Description: Renovations to the BOUNCE Innovation Hub floor two located at 526 S. Main Street. Work includes new classrooms, conference rooms, offices, kitchenette, updated restrooms, and updated electric and HVAC.
October 19, 20231 yr Is Maiden Lane a pedestrian only street? If not it really seems like it should be as part of this project. Troppe is bringing along Kevin Dorsey—former Akronite and well-known musician and composer—and Daniel Morgan—founder of Morgan-Baily Premium Coffee & Tea Co. And CEO of Rich Music Records—as partners in the next phase of his venture. It sounds like this could result in some spinoff economic development with Morgan saying, "he’ll start a coffee company here called Blaguci Coffee. It will serve coffee, but he said its primary goal is to become a large roaster selling to retailers nationally." Developer Tony Troppe plans to inject more life into downtown Akron Dan Shingler October 19th 2023 "Developer Tony Troppe is not done building out Akron’s arts and entertainment district along Market Street east of Main Street, or what Troppe likes to call, “the Blu Zone,” after his Blu Jazz+ club and BLU-tique hotel there. Troppe recently has been showing city officials and others his early plans to bring 25 residences, a jazz and R&B music venue, restaurant and outdoor seating and gathering places to the downtown district. It all would be in and around the three-story Castle Hall building that Troppe owns and in a new six-story building he plans to build next door." https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/tony-troppe-plans-mixed-use-development-downtown-akron Edited October 19, 20231 yr by Luke_S
October 19, 20231 yr Nightlight Theater hopes to Kickstart new screen Dan Shingler October 18th 2023 "Akron’s getting closer to having a new movie screen downtown as the Nightlight Cinema is adding a Kickstarter campaign to its ongoing fundraising efforts. The boutique theater specializes in showing artsy, historical and culturally significant movies often not found on other local screens or not seen on them in years (even decades). ... If [Jenn] Kidd [Executive Director] is successful, the Nightlight will not only get a new screen but expanded amenities such as more bar space, concessions, seating and new restrooms." https://www.crainscleveland.com/akron/nightlight-theater-hopes-kickstart-new-screen
October 19, 20231 yr Author 1 hour ago, Luke_S said: Is Maiden Lane a pedestrian only street? If not it really seems like it should be as part of this project. Troppe is bringing along Kevin Dorsey—former Akronite and well-known musician and composer—and Daniel Morgan—founder of Morgan-Baily Premium Coffee & Tea Co. And CEO of Rich Music Records—as partners in the next phase of his venture. It sounds like this could result in some spinoff economic development with Morgan saying, "he’ll start a coffee company here called Blaguci Coffee. It will serve coffee, but he said its primary goal is to become a large roaster selling to retailers nationally." Developer Tony Troppe plans to inject more life into downtown Akron Dan Shingler October 19th 2023 "Developer Tony Troppe is not done building out Akron’s arts and entertainment district along Market Street east of Main Street, or what Troppe likes to call, “the Blu Zone,” after his Blu Jazz+ club and BLU-tique hotel there. Troppe recently has been showing city officials and others his early plans to bring 25 residences, a jazz and R&B music venue, restaurant and outdoor seating and gathering places to the downtown district. It all would be in and around the three-story Castle Hall building that Troppe owns and in a new six-story building he plans to build next door." https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/tony-troppe-plans-mixed-use-development-downtown-akron No, I think it is still needed for parking deck / lot access that is behind BLU unless they actually have fixed the deck structurally.
October 25, 20231 yr An update on the Polsky Building project Akron's Polsky Building looks to boost downtown with $40 million redevelopment DAN SHINGLER October 25, 2023 Quote If all continues to go to plan, Segedy said he will have the resources needed for a major overhaul of the building – its first since it was redone in the 1990s, and its most comprehensive since it was constructed as a Polsky’s department store in 1930. Segedy said he plans to use his $40 million budget to first upgrade things like the building’s plumbing, bathrooms and probably its elevators. He’ll plan bigger changes once architects and designers have gone through the building and a study of how to best use the building's space is completed, both efforts that are now underway, he said. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/akrons-polsky-building-plans-40-million-redevelopment
November 2, 20231 yr Author More repurposed B.F. Goodrich artifacts to be amid furnishings, art at Bounce Innovation Hub Kerry Clawson Akron Beacon Journal Pieces of Akron's days as the rubber capital of the world are being salvaged to furnish and decorate a modern shared workspace in a former B.F. Goodrich building. When the nonprofit Bounce Innovation Hub opened in Akron in 2019, its first-floor Generator space — which has open co-working and event space, a makerspace, a cafe, conference rooms and offices — featured more than 150 works by 79 Northeast Ohio artists. A number of the items were made from salvaged artifacts from the abandoned B.F. Goodrich power plant nearby at 538 S. Main St. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/entertainment/arts/2023/11/02/more-goodrich-artifacts-find-new-life-bounce-innovation-hub-akron/71287641007/?utm_source=nabj-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65
November 3, 20231 yr Author This is pretty interesting. Hard to believe giving up a multi-million dollar property. The Cascade effect: How efforts to save a building may rescue downtown Akron Amanda Garrett Akron Beacon Journal Trouble started last year at 1 Cascade Plaza, the 23-story downtown Akron tower with the PNC sign on top. Downtown Akron, like downtowns across the country, was struggling in the wake of the pandemic, when so many white-collar workers abruptly abandoned their offices to safely telecommute from home. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/11/03/ohio-akron-leaders-work-save-1-cascade-plaza-pnc-building-downtown-foreclosure/71317981007/?utm_source=nabj-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65
November 10, 20231 yr Akron Municipal Court gets new location after years in aging facility By Anna Huntsman Published November 9, 2023 "After years of calling attention to its deteriorating courthouse building, Akron officials unveiled the new location of the Akron Municipal Court Thursday. The court will move to the newly renovated Oliver Ocasek Building on Broadway Street in Downtown Akron Monday - just around the corner from its current location in the Harold Stubbs Justice Center. ... Malik plans to decide what to do with the Stubbs building within the first sixth months of taking office, he said. It currently serves as the headquarters of the Akron Police Department." https://www.ideastream.org/government-politics/2023-11-09/akron-municipal-court-gets-new-location-after-years-in-aging-facility
December 7, 20231 yr Downtown dilemma: What’s happening with these 5 vacant Akron buildings? Doug Livingston Published Dec. 7, 2023 Quote Downtown Akron is now home to five vacant or nearly empty buildings collectively saturating the market with 1 million square feet of mostly office space that looked more profitable before the pandemic. The Beacon Journal’s tally of 1,008,557 square feet of empty office space doesn’t include the two tallest skyscrapers in downtown Akron: the 28-story, 325,792-square-foot Huntington Tower, which has been on the market since 2019, or the 23-story, 300,328-square-foot 1 Cascade Plaza, where intervention by public and private officials staved off a lengthy tax foreclosure case this year. These towering office buildings on Cascade Plaza, which is also home to the empty City Center Hotel, have been quoted as nearly half empty in recent years. In the shadow of Huntington Tower, FirstEnergy Corp. is buying out the 10-year lease at its 15-floor, 424,000-square-feet downtown headquarters immediately north of Cascade Plaza. With 90% of employees still working from home, the energy company will move everyone to the West Akron campus on White Pond Drive, leaving another giant office building empty in the heart of downtown. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/12/07/5-vacant-buildings-downtown-akron-city-center-hotel-citicenter-quaker-square-beacon-journal-morley/71727958007/
December 15, 20231 yr Akron’s Lock 3 Park redevelopment project receives $1M gift Published: Dec. 14, 2023 By Megan Becka, special to cleveland.com AKRON, Ohio – Akron’s Lock 3 Park project, which calls for reimagining the downtown area, is one step closer to becoming a reality thanks to a recent donation of $1 million from an anonymous individual, the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition announced. The donation brings the amount raised for the Lock 3 Park project to more than $17.5 million, which includes individual donations and funding from the city of Akron; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Department of Housing and Urban Development; Akron Children’s Hospital; Summit County Government; GAR Foundation and Akron Community Foundation. ... The redevelopment of Lock 3 Park is based on input from residents and calls for transforming the downtown space into an accessible and welcoming event, concert and festival space and year-round park that is a destination for residents, guests, hikers and bicyclists along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. https://www.cleveland.com/akron/2023/12/akrons-lock-3-park-redevelopment-project-receives-1m-gift.html
December 15, 20231 yr Author On 12/7/2023 at 1:26 PM, Luke_S said: Downtown dilemma: What’s happening with these 5 vacant Akron buildings? Doug Livingston Published Dec. 7, 2023 https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/12/07/5-vacant-buildings-downtown-akron-city-center-hotel-citicenter-quaker-square-beacon-journal-morley/71727958007/ This is a good update. Sounds like a couple projects, City Center and YWCA, are not dead.
December 21, 20231 yr Former Akron Beacon Journal building tops historic preservation tax credit list The Akron Beacon Journal newspaper's former home — an art deco-influenced building on East Exchange Street in downtown Akron, Ohio — topped Thursday's round of Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit awards. The $5.4 million tax credit could help the building's owner, Michael Mouron of Capstone Real Investments Inc., convert and expand the 200,000-square-foot, three-story building to house nearly 200 residential units, as well as offices, retail stores and restaurants. In May, Akron's Urban Design and Historic Preservation Commission voted overwhelmingly to reject Mouron's request to demolish the building to make way for a parking lot, according to a Beacon Journal report. The newspaper has since moved to a nearby historic building. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/cleveland/news/2023/12/21/former-beacon-journal-building-ohio-tax-credit.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
December 22, 20231 yr Two other smaller projects in Akron got historic tax credits as well: - The Akron Soap Company building on Furnace Street is receiving credits of $250,000 for a $1.35 million project. - The Castle Hall project at 57 E. Market St. is receiving $250,000 to help with a $6.7 million project. Three Akron projects get state historic tax credits Dan Shingler, Kim Palmer December 21st 2023 The [Akron Soap Company] building, which was constructed in 1893 to hold the operations of a soap making business, was slated for residential development by Green Harvest Capital in 2022. But that same year, Green Harvest said rising interest rates made the project untenable and sold the building to Oriana House, a nonprofit that offers addiction and mental health services, as well as re-entry and diversion programs for criminal offenders. The current project represents a pullback from Green Harvest’s plans for 50 residential units at the site [to 11 units], but Oriana also uses the building for its operations. ... [The Castle Hall] project is being done by Troppe, who has partnered with some national Black entrepreneurs to help redevelop the site as part of what he has dubbed Akron’s arts district along Market Street. Troppe has said he plans to open a night club, restaurant and other retail space at the site, along with new residential units. https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/state-historic-tax-credits-help-fund-residential-development-akron
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