I just browsed the last couple months of messages here and nothing really came up about the progress Akron's center city is making, except the new campus at the University of Akron. I'm a new member here and will try to update the board on Akron projects going forward. Briefly:

 

1. Completion of the Ohio Erie Canalway Towpath Trail through downtown

2. Northside Lofts

3. St. Vincent-St. Mary High School campus expansion

4. Akron Art Museum expansion

5. Castle Building condominiums

6. Main and Exchange Offices

7. Akron Zoo

8. Highland Square

9. Spicertown retail and condos

10. Cascade Village homes

11. Edgewood Homes Hope IV replacement

Before I joined this forum I knew nothing about Dayton, and next to nothing about Cincinnati. Now, I look forward to Jeff's well researched Dayton photoessays (alas, too infrequent), and have even considered relocating to Cincinnati.

 

I know Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo rather well, but have never ventured down I-77 to Akron or Canton.  Akron does seem to have almost no presence on this board.

 

Welcome to UrbanOhio, I look forward to pictures and stories about Akron ...

Akronurban, Please post more about Akron-area developments. For whatever reason, there's not been much of an Akron presence on this board. I hope your continued presence here will encourage more Akronites to participate!

I know Akron is having some problems with crime right now, but the center city is really looking nice, in my opinion. Just need to get more people living downtown so it doesn't turn into such a ghost town after work.

 

Cleveland could take some lessons from some of the things Akron has done. Akronurban can probably better fill us in on the city's progress!

Yes, I wish I heard more about Akron.  Im more of an urban history vs urban development geek, and Akron is pretty interesting from an urban history or urban geography perspective, from what I was able to find out reading around and visting up there twice just to check the place out.

 

 

akronurban, welcome to the board.

 

There are threads about just about all of the things you posted in that list.  I think only the St. Vincent-St. Mary one you mentioned lacks a topic.

 

The problem we've run into is:

1) A lack of Akron forumers, thus little Akron chat.  Please invite your friends!  We need eyes on the street and more people contributing photos, updates, etc.

2) The Akron-area newspapers (in general) give pretty poor coverage to development.  So those of us who don't live there don't know what's going on.  I try to post every story I see about Akron development but, as I mentioned, they are few.

 

Basically, WE NEED AKRON FORUMERS!!!

Basically, WE NEED AKRON FORUMERS!!!

 

akron? never heard of it.....

^It's a suburb of Barberton...

i love how no one misses a beat on that joke still.

It's about as old as "ColDay's Mom" jokes.

Akronurban,

  Welcome to the forum.  Most of the things you listed have been discussed for the past 2+ years.  For the most part, if there is new development and it gets announced beforehand, there will soon be construction following the announcement.  The only one I can think of that hasn't started yet is the Main-Exchange building.  But being that this is likely to be a signature building I don't have a problem with them delaying to make sure they have the appropriate number of floors, if that is why they are delaying.   

  To me the most pertinent thread of the past 2 months involving Akronites is on the innerbelt and the central interchange.  With public discussions with ODOT over the next month or so they will be making crucial decisions about the future of Akron's Innerbelt.

  One other thing not on your list is the placement of the the central bus terminal for Metro.    Definitely a ton of things going on in Akron right now.  Do you feel the mo?

As with most of us, the "mo" is just so slooooow sometimes (actually, all the time...) Government action is more like inaction and it takes forever to see improvements that are announced prematurely. I have to admit I have selfish reasons for seeing these projects become reality, if only to make where I live a better place. I'll catch up on the threads going on about these projects elsewhere and, along with grasscat's good work in posting local news, try to keep everyone abreast of what "mo" is happenin'. The innerbelt project is part of a larger announced "biomedical corridor" that will allow the city owned property to be developed into research centers in a compact area of downtown.

 

The Akron Biomedical Corridor is an "Innovation District" bounded by Akron General Medical Center on the west, by Akron City Hospital on the east, and includes Akron Children’s Hospital near the district’s center. Around the country, such "Innovation Districts" are being used to attract and market clusters of like-minded technology companies. see map (1,100k pdf)

 

http://www.ci.akron.oh.us/News_Releases/2006/0719a.htm

 

The new multi-modal center will be south of downtown a couple blocks near the GoJo headquarters...

 

http://www.ci.akron.oh.us/News_Releases/2006/0530.htm

 

Next to the Metro station is the new hydrogen energy research center..

 

http://www.ovonic.com/ne_ecd_ovonics_press_releases_more.cfm?pressrelease_id=134

 

Finally, the Akron Bar Association is renovating the old Fire Station #1 for offices...

 

http://www.ci.akron.oh.us/News_Releases/2006/0609.htm

 

more to come...

 

 

 

When I referred to the innerbelt project, I wasn't referring to a 20yr vision statement that the mayor made.  I was referring to the actual innerbelt.  Here's a link to the thread back in April.  This project will have large repurcussions for how Akron grows over the next 50 years. 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=8697.0

 

Also is a link to the website akroninnerbelt.org. 

 

As far as speed, I don't think its a big deal.  Its not like construction isn't going on at all.  Akron art museum is coming along and a year away from completion, Highland Sq. revamping finally started, Northside lofts first building is almost complete, the 1st phase of the towpath into downtown is complete and phase 2 is getting started, U of A expansion is going crazy.  St. V's expansion is very impending.  All these things change equations for other businesses in Akron.  I'm sure there are dozens of lesser projects that businesses in the area are contemplating but haven't or won't announce.  I just popped into Musica and Mocha Maiden last weekend for the first time.  Those are great spaces they have there and Mocha is almost finished with their art gallery space upstairs.  Mad Dax aka Fat Tuesdays is in the middle of renovation.  Barley House just opened a month ago after a big renovation.  This shows that Akron isn't empty anymore and bar owners are willing to update and renovate to keep and capture crowds. 

Compared to 10 years ago, things are moving at lightning speed.. 

She's upbeat on downtown

Kimberlee McKee, a skeptic years ago, now full of ideas, enthusiasm as head of nonprofit improvement group

By Paula Schleis

Beacon Journal business writer

 

When Kimberlee McKee first interviewed for a job in downtown Akron in the early 1990s, the Alliance native had misgivings.

 

"To be honest,'' she said, her voice dropping to a whisper, "I was thinking, 'I don't think I wanna work here.' ''

 

 

More at

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/16073293.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c-aFLXzAwU

Six individuals, companies seeking to grow medical marijuana in Akron

By Rick Armon and Theresa Cottom

Beacon Journal staff writers

Published: May 16, 2017 - 03:57 PM | Updated: May 17, 2017 - 07:24 AM

 

Akron has received six applications so far from individuals and companies that want to start growing medical marijuana in the city.

 

The applications — released by the city Tuesday — highlight projects ranging from $50,000 to $6 million.'

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/six-individuals-companies-seeking-to-grow-medical-marijuana-in-akron-1.767375