Akron's Bounce Innovation Hub kicks off renovations

By CRAIN'S AKRON BUSINESS

 

Akron's Bounce Innovation Hub on Monday, May 14, marked the start of a major renovation project that will build out its ground floor to include a co-working space and a café, among other features.

 

Bounce also welcomed a new member as CompanionLabs, a technology firm that works to help businesses get a better return on their social media advertising, plans to move into the hub this summer, according to a news release. CompanionLabs is currently housed in downtown Akron's Wallhaven Building.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20180515/news/161756/akrons-bounce-innovation-hub-kicks-renovations

Stark State College Akron is ready for its public unveiling

Sue Walton

May 22, 2018 2:43 pm

 

Stark State College Akron will open its doors to students in the fall, but the public is invited to take a look much sooner.

 

The new school slowly been has rising on 13 acres of land at Perkins and Union streets in downtown Akron since fall 2016. The public can tour the 68,414-square-foot building from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 24.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20180522/blogs15/162666/stark-state-college-akron-ready-its-public-unveiling

 

Year-round, fresh-food market planned for downtown Akron

By DAN SHINGLER   

 

Smart farmers don't brag about their crops at the start of the season, but the forecast is looking good for a new produce and local food market to open year-round in Akron.

 

Peninsula-based Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy and developer Joel Testa are working to open a market beneath the existing Northside Marketplace, located just off North Howard Street in the Northside District.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20180527/news/163066/year-round-fresh-food-market-planned-downtown-akron

Here's some photos from Stark State's open house of their Akron campus. I call it "A study in mediocrity":

 

How many material changes can we get on one facade?

 

[/url]

 

A study in disproportionate space.

 

 

Stairwell looking towards the new Summa Hospital building under construction.

 

 

The view towards Downtown. Notice the large expanse of parking setting it back from the urban street edge.

 

 

Hallway

 

 

 

The one cool thing Stark State did was put out a call for local artists who's art is found throughout the halls.

 

 

 

Rubber City McDonald's to move headquarters, training facility to downtown Akron

Updated Jun 1; Posted Jun 1

By Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

 

jconnCleveland[/member].com

 

AKRON, Ohio - Rubber City McDonald's will soon set up operations in a building in the continually developing Northside District, thanks to a $700,000 loan from the Akron Community Revitalization Fund of the Development Fund of the Western Reserve (DFWR).

 

The loan will enable Rubber City McDonald's to buy and renovate a building at 55 Furnace St. McDonald's will consolidate its headquarters and training operations at the site, bringing 25 employees there and drawing workers from 250 Northeast Ohio restaurants to Akron for classes and management training.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2018/06/rubber_city_mcdonalds_sites_op.html

Akron Community Revitalization Fund issues 4th development loan, investing $3.2 million since March

Updated Jun 14, 6:19 PM; Posted Jun 14, 12:18 PM

By Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

 

AKRON, Ohio -- The Akron Community Revitalization Fund is on a roll.

 

On Thursday, the fund announced its fourth loan to improve Akron's distressed business areas, bringing its investment in Akron to $3.2 million since March. And  two more deals are on the horizon, officials say.

 

This time, it's a $580,000 loan to update the former Advanced Elastomer Systems (AES) Building on South Main Street downtown. For two decades while housing Exxon Mobil Advanced Elastomer Systems, the AES building had a 90 percent occupancy rate. Exxon moved in 2016 pulling 200 jobs out of Akron and dropping the city's downtown occupancy rate to 20 percent.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2018/06/akron_community_revitalization_2.html

New apartments planned for Middlebury

By DAN SHINGLER

June 17, 2018 4:01 am 

 

Akron's oldest neighborhood is getting a new apartment complex.

 

Local businessman Nick Pamboukis has purchased a former senior living facility at 797 E. Market St., in the heart of the Middlebury neighborhood, and said he's working to turn it into high-end apartments.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20180617/news/165371/new-apartments-planned-middlebury

 

Interesting.  Apparently Middlebury was a small settlement before Akron itself was founded.

Misleading title:

 

Akron is opposing a top-rated business in the medical marijuana industry

Published: June 19, 2018 - 7:06 PM | Updated: June 19, 2018 - 11:15 PM

By Doug Livingston

Beacon Journal/Ohio.com

 

Akron is fighting one of only three locations where patients can soon buy medical marijuana in Summit County.

 

City Planner Jason Segedy and Zoning Manager Mike Antenucci told the Planning Commission last week that a “highly secure and unobtrusive” dispensary at 46 S. Summit St. “falls short of the land use characteristics expected within the Downtown Arts District and Northside Community Entertainment District.”

 

https://www.ohio.com/akron/news/local/akron-is-opposing-a-top-rated-business-in-the-medical-marijuana-industry

Apartments with a downtown Akron view awarded $2 million in tax credits

Published: June 20, 2018 - 10:01 AM | Updated: June 20, 2018 - 9:52 PM

By Katie Byard

 

Another 112 apartments could be coming to downtown Akron across the street from where roughly 90 apartments are in the works.

 

The projects — spearheaded by different developers — are directly across from each other on South Main Street.

 

https://www.ohio.com/akron/news/local/more-than-2-million-in-tax-credits-awarded-for-downtown-akron-apartments

June 20, 2018 11:58 am      Updated 3 hours ago

OuterBox expanding its downtown Akron location

By CRAIN'S AKRON BUSINESS

 

OuterBox, a digital marketing agency and web design company, is expanding its location in downtown Akron to accommodate an increasing staff, the firm announced Wednesday, June 20.

 

The company, currently housed on the 6,000-square-foot third floor of the Kaiser Building on South Main Street, will expand its offices to the second floor as well, adding about 2,500 square feet of space, CEO Justin Smith said in an email. The new space includes three conference rooms, a video room and a new area of open-concept desks.

 

The move allows the growing company to stay in its current building.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20180620/news/165766/outerbox-expanding-its-downtown-akron-location

This one is going to hurt for a little while, but it will be well worth it when completed.

 

Akron to begin work on $27 million Main Street Promenade Project

Updated Jun 28, 4:59 PM; Posted Jun 28, 4:59 PM

By Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

 

AKRON, Ohio - The city will begin construction on the $27 million Main Street Promenade Project, following the July Fourth celebration.

 

Phase one of the work will begin Monday, July 9, closing all southbound lanes of Main Street, from East Market Street to University Avenue, the city reported in a news release. Northbound lanes will remain open. Travelers can take South High Street as a detour, to get to Mill or Bowery streets, which will remain open through Main Street.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2018/06/akron_to_begin_work_on_27_mill.html#incart_river_index

July 15, 2018 4:01 am

Updated 12 hours ago

'Unprecedented' development is helping to reshape downtown Akron (with timeline)

By DAN SHINGLER

 

In Akron these days, it seems you can't wave a loan application or a for-sale sign without a developer tackling you, pen and grand plans in hand.

The Rubber City is being vulcanized — Akron's downtown core is on fire with a slew of recent developments, bigger ones in the works and seemingly no end to new projects for which developers are already buying property.

The Bowery Project, the Law Building, the City Center Hotel and a yet-to-be unveiled project near Lock 3 that could be the biggest project yet have area developers busy.

 

 

First mention I've heard of a new project by Testa on Water Street directly behind and facing Lock 3.  The story mentions a significant out-of-state office tenant, similar to what IRG is saying about their East End project.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20180715/news/168251/unprecedented-development-helping-reshape-downtown-akron-timeline

I'm seriously impressed that developers are pressing forward simultaneously with the Law, Bowery, and Mayflower redevelopments.  For the past decade, basically all new downtown housing has been student housing, and I have my doubts about the long-term viability of that housing, too.

I'm seriously impressed that developers are pressing forward simultaneously with the Law, Bowery, and Mayflower redevelopments.  For the past decade, basically all new downtown housing has been student housing, and I have my doubts about the long-term viability of that housing, too.

 

I'm particularly excited for the project mentioned in the Crain's article a couple posts up that mentioned new construction by the canal and the possibility of a new-to-Akron office tenant as well as lofts and retail.  That's a pretty big lot that will be built on and I'll be happy to see it go.

Also mentioned in the article is an extension of the northside townhomes. It looks like there are currently 7 that have been built and they are indicating another 12 will be built. I’m not sure it will be same style as i don’t think there is the space for that many. It looks like only another 6 would fit.  Looking on Zillow it shows plots that had been marketed earlier. It suggests the price for the units below $150k. Most units they build go for well above $220k. So curious what these new townhomes look like.

Akron to give Main Street a $31 million makeover to attract more people downtown

Updated Jul 17, 4:57 PM; Posted Jul 17, 4:57 PM

By Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

 

AKRON, Ohio - In keeping with Akron's ongoing efforts to draw people into downtown to live and work, Main Street will be getting a $31 million facelift.

 

Over the next two years, the Main Street Corridor project will result in new street paving, sidewalks, utilities, signs and traffic signals, in addition to new bus lanes and bike tracks.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2018/07/akron_to_give_main_street_a_31.html

Also mentioned in the article is an extension of the northside townhomes. It looks like there are currently 7 that have been built and they are indicating another 12 will be built. I’m not sure it will be same style as i don’t think there is the space for that many. It looks like only another 6 would fit.  Looking on Zillow it shows plots that had been marketed earlier. It suggests the price for the units below $150k. Most units they build go for well above $220k. So curious what these new townhomes look like.

The article is talking about lofts and describes the building, which is the Northside Lofts building next to the new hotel.

 

Testa, for example, is adding on to his Northside Lofts on the northern edge of the city's center. That development got off to a fast start, lost some momentum during the financial crisis, but has recently been expanding with a ground-floor marketplace for new, local retailers and a planned farmers and food market on the floor below.

 

Now Testa plans to invest $5 million more this year, adding new lofts.

 

"Northside's been a phased thing. We have another 12 units to start this fall," he said.

 

You're talking about the Townhomes along Howard St. They already have foundations in for these. May even be framing now. Looking at the lot size it will only be 6-7 if they are designed the same way.

^That is what I am seeing as well. So then the other 5-6 will be going across the street?  Or will some parking lot be taken out behind the current townhomes?

Back around the time the lofts first opened, I remember seeing a rendering of townhouses on the north side of the main lofts building, wrapping around the corner on Ridge St.  That may be where the next units will be, after the spot on Howard south of the existing townhomes is filled.

I hope they are planning on realigning Main St. so that it can go straight through from Downtown to the Northside.  It makes lots of sense to connect your strong and growing areas.

It already does - just with a bend in the road. I don't see what the added value to the City would be of exercising eminent domain over a private parking lot simply to make it straighter.

Main Street doesn't go through.  It curves over and joins to N. Howard, but Main St. itself is interrupted by MLK with no intersection or even pedestrian walk.  The benefit is that if you want to unify the Northside with the emerging arts district then it helps to have connections that are strong, direct, and obvious.  The current situation is the opposite.

Main Street doesn't go through.  It curves over and joins to N. Howard, but Main St. itself is interrupted by MLK with no intersection or even pedestrian walk.  The benefit is that if you want to unify the Northside with the emerging arts district then it helps to have connections that are strong, direct, and obvious.  The current situation is the opposite.

What do you mean "no intersection or even pedestrian walk", a crosswalk? There are crosswalks and a stoplight at Main & Perkins. I just parked at Northside last night and walked over to the N. High / Crave area to see the new mural and parklet unveiling's. Went right through Perkins / MLK.

 

Here's the new townhomes. It's 5 new units with a little different design.

 

 

 

Here's the new mural on the side of the Crave building.

 

 

 

And the parklet and new custom lighting on the buildings on High St.

 

Akron poised to issue $2 million in bonds to create public entryway for Bowery Project

Updated Jul 24, 4:26 PM; Posted Jul 24, 4:26 PM

By Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

jconnCleveland[/member].com

 

AKRON, Ohio - Developers are eyeing the finish line in compiling financing for the $40 million Bowery project, which aims to transform a stretch of long-empty buildings in downtown Akron.

 

Akron City Council is expected to approve bond financing for the project at its meeting on Monday, and the developers told cleveland.com on Tuesday they expect the other financing to be in place by fall.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2018/07/akron_poised_to_issue_2_millio.html

Main Street doesn't go through.  It curves over and joins to N. Howard, but Main St. itself is interrupted by MLK with no intersection or even pedestrian walk.  The benefit is that if you want to unify the Northside with the emerging arts district then it helps to have connections that are strong, direct, and obvious.  The current situation is the opposite.

 

There's also a railroad you have to contend with to achieve what you're proposing. In fact, it is the entire reason the road bends to North Howard - to avoid spending public resources via eminent domain to create a public way over a railroad with marginal benefits. For as much as I'd like to see what you're proposing, the costs far outweigh the benefits.

Main Street doesn't go through.  It curves over and joins to N. Howard, but Main St. itself is interrupted by MLK with no intersection or even pedestrian walk.  The benefit is that if you want to unify the Northside with the emerging arts district then it helps to have connections that are strong, direct, and obvious.  The current situation is the opposite.

 

There's also a railroad you have to contend with to achieve what you're proposing. In fact, it is the entire reason the road bends to North Howard - to avoid spending public resources via eminent domain to create a public way over a railroad with marginal benefits. For as much as I'd like to see what you're proposing, the costs far outweigh the benefits.

 

I'm still confused. Is the question why a road doesn't go directly into Luigi's from Downtown? Because there is nothing wrong with the way it works now. You're not going to get railroad land via eminent domain.

You may not have to, but it would require some significant earthmoving. There's a significant elevation difference that was intensified by the Innerbelt when it was built in the late 1980s. The old business district where Luigi's stands is below the downtown bluff. Before the 1980s, Main Street descended from downtown, crossed the Wheeling & Lake Erie tracks at grade, passed the Northside business district where Luigi's is, and then went across the valley on the North Hill Viaduct until it was demolished in the late 1970s.

 

 

This tiny image shows the Main Street railroad crossing and Northside business district. I wish I could find a larger image!

 

 

 

Main Street doesn't go through.  It curves over and joins to N. Howard, but Main St. itself is interrupted by MLK with no intersection or even pedestrian walk.  The benefit is that if you want to unify the Northside with the emerging arts district then it helps to have connections that are strong, direct, and obvious.  The current situation is the opposite.

 

There's also a railroad you have to contend with to achieve what you're proposing. In fact, it is the entire reason the road bends to North Howard - to avoid spending public resources via eminent domain to create a public way over a railroad with marginal benefits. For as much as I'd like to see what you're proposing, the costs far outweigh the benefits.

 

I'm still confused. Is the question why a road doesn't go directly into Luigi's from Downtown? Because there is nothing wrong with the way it works now. You're not going to get railroad land via eminent domain.

Personally, I'd love to see some kind of pedestrian tunnel under MLK/Rt. 59 that connects Northside and the Main-Market Arts District.

Personally, I'd love to see some kind of pedestrian tunnel under MLK/Rt. 59 that connects Northside and the Main-Market Arts District.

 

That would actually be a much longer tunnel than you're probably thinking.  A lot longer than any of the Downtown skywalks, just for comparison.  MLK is very wide there, then there's the railroad tracks, and before that (assuming you meant a tunnel straight from the Arts District) is the ABIA parking lot.

 

I really held out hope that the deconstruction of the OH-59 Innerbelt would divert traffic away from that intersection enough that MLK could be narrowed to something less forbidding for pedestrians and that area could genuinely be developed with new construction, not just connectors between areas of Downtown that are still actually physically somewhat far apart.  But the Innerbelt deconstruction has been anticlimactic to say the least.  There are enough new stretches of asphalt through there that I don't think that, on net, they really reduced the total coverage by that much, nor really diverted that much traffic.

Personally, I'd love to see some kind of pedestrian tunnel under MLK/Rt. 59 that connects Northside and the Main-Market Arts District.

 

That would actually be a much longer tunnel than you're probably thinking.  A lot longer than any of the Downtown skywalks, just for comparison.  MLK is very wide there, then there's the railroad tracks, and before that (assuming you meant a tunnel straight from the Arts District) is the ABIA parking lot.

 

I really held out hope that the deconstruction of the OH-59 Innerbelt would divert traffic away from that intersection enough that MLK could be narrowed to something less forbidding for pedestrians and that area could genuinely be developed with new construction, not just connectors between areas of Downtown that are still actually physically somewhat far apart.  But the Innerbelt deconstruction has been anticlimactic to say the least.  There are enough new stretches of asphalt through there that I don't think that, on net, they really reduced the total coverage by that much, nor really diverted that much traffic.

 

On this topic, the Innerbelt National Forest project is currently underway and slated for official unveiling on August 3rd - https://www.innerbeltnationalforest.com/

 

I personally love the idea of there being some permanent green space in place of the Innerbelt, interspersed with part of the Little Cuyahoga tributary that gets exposed during the freeway's deconstruction. Is anyone aware of conceptual plans (e.g. housing, mixed-use development) for what could possibly take shape here along these lines? How much acreage does the City anticipate being made available? I'd be curious to hear what the local development shops (e.g. Troppe, Testa) have to say about it.

 

It would be great to see more discussion and photos of the INF (and related plans) in general once its up and running, seeing as it will only be for two months.

 

https://www.ohio.com/akron/news/local/artist-ready-to-unveil-forest-next-to-akron-innerbelt

Personally, I'd love to see some kind of pedestrian tunnel under MLK/Rt. 59 that connects Northside and the Main-Market Arts District.

 

That would actually be a much longer tunnel than you're probably thinking.  A lot longer than any of the Downtown skywalks, just for comparison.  MLK is very wide there, then there's the railroad tracks, and before that (assuming you meant a tunnel straight from the Arts District) is the ABIA parking lot.

 

I really held out hope that the deconstruction of the OH-59 Innerbelt would divert traffic away from that intersection enough that MLK could be narrowed to something less forbidding for pedestrians and that area could genuinely be developed with new construction, not just connectors between areas of Downtown that are still actually physically somewhat far apart.  But the Innerbelt deconstruction has been anticlimactic to say the least.  There are enough new stretches of asphalt through there that I don't think that, on net, they really reduced the total coverage by that much, nor really diverted that much traffic.

 

On this topic, the Innerbelt National Forest project is currently underway and slated for official unveiling on August 3rd - https://www.innerbeltnationalforest.com/

 

I personally love the idea of there being some permanent green space in place of the Innerbelt, interspersed with part of the Little Cuyahoga tributary that gets exposed during the freeway's deconstruction. Is anyone aware of conceptual plans (e.g. housing, mixed-use development) for what could possibly take shape here along these lines? How much acreage does the City anticipate being made available? I'd be curious to hear what the local development shops (e.g. Troppe, Testa) have to say about it.

 

It would be great to see more discussion and photos of the INF (and related plans) in general once its up and running, seeing as it will only be for two months.

 

https://www.ohio.com/akron/news/local/artist-ready-to-unveil-forest-next-to-akron-innerbelt

 

There is nothing public about any future plans and if people are interested, they aren't talking. They City does not own the land and they said they will not try to acquire it from ODOT until there is a proposal on the table and accepted.

There are plenty of viable buildings that are sitting partially empty or completely vacant downtown. The Innerbelt does not have any utilities in that area and it has no connectivity to it's surroundings. Right now it's not a good option for development in Akron.

I am excited to see how the "forest" comes out though. They already have trees planted.

Akron Community Revitalization Fund announces $1.67M interim loan for Bowery Project

Updated Jul 26, 5:58 PM; Posted Jul 26, 5:59 PM

By Megan Becka, special to cleveland.com

 

AKRON, Ohio - The Akron Community Revitalization Fund on Thursday announced a $1.67 million interim construction loan for the Bowery redevelopment project in downtown Akron.

 

The $40 million mixed-use project calls for redeveloping the historic 12-story Bowery building and five smaller buildings from 164 South Main St. to 184 South Main St. into apartments, along with stores, restaurants, a microbrewery and a grocery store.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2018/07/akron_community_revitalization_4.html

While I was back home this weekend I paid a visit to the Innerbelt National Forest project, and can totally see the what NEObuckeye means when saying that the deconstruction didn't actually do that much. There's still fast traffic in either direction and there appears to be little opportunity to create meaningful connections (pedestrian and otherwise) across the corridor or adequate space within the deconstructed portion to support new construction. It still kind of functions the way it always has.

 

Nonetheless, I snapped a few photos of the INF (which had to relocate to the side of the Innerbelt bc the middle portion was too inaccessible) along with a conceptual rendering by the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative on what could possibly take shape on the site.

While I was back home this weekend I paid a visit to the Innerbelt National Forest project, and can totally see the what NEObuckeye means when saying that the deconstruction didn't actually do that much. There's still fast traffic in either direction and there appears to be little opportunity to create meaningful connections (pedestrian and otherwise) across the corridor or adequate space within the deconstructed portion to support new construction. It still kind of functions the way it always has.

 

Nonetheless, I snapped a few photos of the INF (which had to relocate to the side of the Innerbelt bc the middle portion was too inaccessible) along with a conceptual rendering by the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative on what could possibly take shape on the site.

 

Correct. The Innerbelt work was never about deconstruction. It was about reconfiguring to lessen the maintenance burden.

While I was back home this weekend I paid a visit to the Innerbelt National Forest project, and can totally see the what NEObuckeye means when saying that the deconstruction didn't actually do that much. There's still fast traffic in either direction and there appears to be little opportunity to create meaningful connections (pedestrian and otherwise) across the corridor or adequate space within the deconstructed portion to support new construction. It still kind of functions the way it always has.

 

Nonetheless, I snapped a few photos of the INF (which had to relocate to the side of the Innerbelt bc the middle portion was too inaccessible) along with a conceptual rendering by the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative on what could possibly take shape on the site.

 

Correct. The Innerbelt work was never about deconstruction. It was about reconfiguring to lessen the maintenance burden.

 

It was sold very differently.  It was sold as genuine deconstruction.  There were town halls seeking community input on what to do with the space once it was truly clear again; with the new road pattern, in hindsight, all those town halls were based on completely false premises.  I hadn't even heard of this Innerbelt National Forest project until recently and it's honestly an excessively grandiose name for something so small.  The name makes it sound like a serious extension of the MetroParks/CVNP system, and there isn't enough newly-freed space for it to be anything of the kind.

While I was back home this weekend I paid a visit to the Innerbelt National Forest project, and can totally see the what NEObuckeye means when saying that the deconstruction didn't actually do that much. There's still fast traffic in either direction and there appears to be little opportunity to create meaningful connections (pedestrian and otherwise) across the corridor or adequate space within the deconstructed portion to support new construction. It still kind of functions the way it always has.

 

Nonetheless, I snapped a few photos of the INF (which had to relocate to the side of the Innerbelt bc the middle portion was too inaccessible) along with a conceptual rendering by the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative on what could possibly take shape on the site.

 

Correct. The Innerbelt work was never about deconstruction. It was about reconfiguring to lessen the maintenance burden.

 

It was sold very differently.  It was sold as genuine deconstruction.  There were town halls seeking community input on what to do with the space once it was truly clear again; with the new road pattern, in hindsight, all those town halls were based on completely false premises.  I hadn't even heard of this Innerbelt National Forest project until recently and it's honestly an excessively grandiose name for something so small.  The name makes it sound like a serious extension of the MetroParks/CVNP system, and there isn't enough newly-freed space for it to be anything of the kind.

 

 

Not trying to sound negative but from the pics ASP added it looks congested and slightly hillbilly. Hopefully it looks better in person. Will probably be a rest stop for the trail rather than a destination.

The guy tending the site when I visited, an artist from San Francisco, happened to be one of the if not the main guy behind the project. He organized the dinner down on the innerbelt last year, and at the end of the day, and in his view, the grandiosity of the name and concept was to get Akronites (or the City?) thinking about what could be done long term. Agreed it was oversold, but I suppose it was never meant to be anything more than simply a thought experiment. I admire his tenacity, being that he isn't from Akron, but I do wonder what the City's thoughts were on the whole thing from the get go.

 

Nonetheless, still worth visiting. There are a lot of interesting historical documents on display from the planning phase back in the 60s/70s. Hopefully the City agrees to plant more trees permanently in the area. Agreed it would make a nice rest stop, at least.

While I was back home this weekend I paid a visit to the Innerbelt National Forest project, and can totally see the what NEObuckeye means when saying that the deconstruction didn't actually do that much. There's still fast traffic in either direction and there appears to be little opportunity to create meaningful connections (pedestrian and otherwise) across the corridor or adequate space within the deconstructed portion to support new construction. It still kind of functions the way it always has.

 

Nonetheless, I snapped a few photos of the INF (which had to relocate to the side of the Innerbelt bc the middle portion was too inaccessible) along with a conceptual rendering by the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative on what could possibly take shape on the site.

 

Correct. The Innerbelt work was never about deconstruction. It was about reconfiguring to lessen the maintenance burden.

 

It was sold very differently.  It was sold as genuine deconstruction.  There were town halls seeking community input on what to do with the space once it was truly clear again; with the new road pattern, in hindsight, all those town halls were based on completely false premises.  I hadn't even heard of this Innerbelt National Forest project until recently and it's honestly an excessively grandiose name for something so small.  The name makes it sound like a serious extension of the MetroParks/CVNP system, and there isn't enough newly-freed space for it to be anything of the kind.

 

That was never the intention from the City. We both attended numerous meetings of ideas. From my recollection though, many were not organized by the City but other groups looking for ideas.

To remove all of that concrete and restore it in any manner is a tremendous financial undertaking.

Also, the City does not own the land, so I'm not sure why they would even do it in the first place. They were simply tasked with maintenance of it, which they are trying to lessen their responsibility by the realignment.

 

 

The guy tending the site when I visited, an artist from San Francisco, happened to be one of the if not the main guy behind the project. He organized the dinner down on the innerbelt last year, and at the end of the day, and in his view, the grandiosity of the name and concept was to get Akronites (or the City?) thinking about what could be done long term. Agreed it was oversold, but I suppose it was never meant to be anything more than simply a thought experiment. I admire his tenacity, being that he isn't from Akron, but I do wonder what the City's thoughts were on the whole thing from the get go.

 

Nonetheless, still worth visiting. There are a lot of interesting historical documents on display from the planning phase back in the 60s/70s. Hopefully the City agrees to plant more trees permanently in the area. Agreed it would make a nice rest stop, at least.

The concept was supposed to be implemented on the Innerbelt. But the City would not help with that idea, so other areas had to be explored.

New downtown Akron fresh-food market sets October opening

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/retail/new-downtown-akron-fresh-food-market-sets-october-opening

Akron breaks ground on $31 million Main Street Corridor, announces new water feature

Updated Sep 12, 3:51 PM; Posted Sep 12, 3:10 PM

By Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

 

AKRON, Ohio - A water feature has been designed into plans for Akron's $31 million downtown Main Street Corridor project.

 

Mayor Dan Horrigan announced plans for the water feature during the project's official groundbreaking on Wednesday. No details were available except that the water feature will be built at the roundabout planned for Main and Mill streets.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2018/09/akron_breaks_ground_announces.html#incart_river_index

Putting this in here because of this quote in the article.

 

 

Akron tried to keep Myers Industries, but isn't sure it had a chance

Dan Shingler

 

He also noted that the city has land available right downtown for new construction, thanks to the closing of the Innerbelt highway, and said the city would have worked with any company seeking to build a headquarters there — a point on which Hardy concurred.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/akron-news/akron-tried-keep-myers-industries-isnt-sure-it-had-chance

^CEO preferences weigh heavily. In the case of Boeing moving Seattle --> Chicago, CEO's wife's preference was said to be the deciding vote. She had a real estate business in the northern Chicago suburbs. 

I wish Akron and Cleveland could blend more together.  I believe it would make the region stronger and more competitive.

Akron and Cleveland closer connectivity would be nice, but they are both moving in two different directions.With Cleveland attracting Myers Industries from Akron, and Akron attracting Babcox and Wilcox from Barberton, its every city for itself now. Northeast Ohio is just too complicated and broadbased for a singular unified strategy. That's just what we have. Akron leadership is not going to submit to Cleveland , and Cleveland leadership will not submit or coordinate with Akron .So we have these numerous enclaves in N.E Ohio all with their own visions.

A unified regional strategy could happen in NE Ohio, but it would likely take leadership from Cleveland that could win buy-in from the major economic centers throughout the region (e.g. Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Lorain-Elyria, etc.), something that Cleveland has an acute lack of these days. It's certainly not going to come from Mayor Frank Jackson, who is about as anti-regional and as a Cleveland mayor has been during the post-WWII era.

 

NE Ohio needs someone far more visionary, charismatic, and probably younger in their perspective, someone a bit more focused out like Pittsburgh's mayor Bill Peduto or Columbus's former mayor Mike Coleman.

 

In the absence of that, Akron likely will continue to pursue its own agenda and eke out its own niche in the grand scheme of things, in spite of Cleveland's gravitational pull.

 

Personally, to this end, I'd love to see Akron look south and build stronger ties with Canton. Working together, the two cities could pool their assets and form a substantially stronger alternative pole to Cleveland in NE Ohio.

 

A unified regional strategy could happen in NE Ohio, but it would likely take leadership from Cleveland that could win buy-in from the major economic centers throughout the region (e.g. Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Lorain-Elyria, etc.), something that Cleveland has an acute lack of these days. It's certainly not going to come from Mayor Frank Jackson, who is about as anti-regional and as a Cleveland mayor has been during the post-WWII era.

 

NE Ohio needs someone far more visionary, charismatic, and probably younger in their perspective, someone a bit more focused out like Pittsburgh's mayor Bill Peduto or Columbus's former mayor Mike Coleman.

 

In the absence of that, Akron likely will continue to pursue its own agenda and eke out its own niche in the grand scheme of things, in spite of Cleveland's gravitational pull.

 

Personally, to this end, I'd love to see Akron look south and build stronger ties with Canton. Working together, the two cities could pool their assets and form a substantially stronger alternative pole to Cleveland in NE Ohio.

 

 

Anyone know the extent to which merging public transportation options has been looked at between the three cities? E.g., being a current resident of New England, its amazing to see how easy it is to travel between cities out here via rail (e.g. Worcester-Boston-Providence). Def pipe dream, but given the surprising number of work commuters from Akron to Cleveland via bus, it would be great to see one day.

Anyone know the extent to which merging public transportation options has been looked at between the three cities? E.g., being a current resident of New England, its amazing to see how easy it is to travel between cities out here via rail (e.g. Worcester-Boston-Providence). Def pipe dream, but given the surprising number of work commuters from Akron to Cleveland via bus, it would be great to see one day.

 

There's a thread about it here:

 

https://www.urbanohio.com/forum/index.php/topic,11978.0.html

I would say the better impetus is through the county executives to have more collaboration. These are the only charter governments in Ohio and so hold more power than other county board commissioners.  Cuyahoga county is still in the process of getting its house in order so has had little time to look outside the county for other opportunities. Noaca and amats have had some light discussions over the past few years about transportation projects. There was an effort pushed by ODOT to come up with a combined effort of the metro agencies to pool money for a bigger project that would receive additional ODOT money.  I never heard more about this. So i think it was just a random idea.

I would say the better impetus is through the county executives to have more collaboration. These are the only charter governments in Ohio and so hold more power than other county board commissioners.  Cuyahoga county is still in the process of getting its house in order so has had little time to look outside the county for other opportunities. Noaca and amats have had some light discussions over the past few years about transportation projects. There was an effort pushed by ODOT to come up with a combined effort of the metro agencies to pool money for a bigger project that would receive additional ODOT money.  I never heard more about this. So i think it was just a random idea.

 

No, it's still in process. Just takes a long time.