There have been a couple of stories posted about this in the Random Akron-Canton thread (the latest was yesterday), but this just got a little more interesting.  From the 5/3/07 ABJ:

 

 

Akron parking project hits U.S. barriers

Judges cite security, threaten relocation of federal offices. City plans meeting today

By Phil Trexler and John Higgins

Beacon Journal staff writers

 

U.S. officials are threatening to relocate their downtown federal offices -- and 300 jobs -- if Akron moves forward on a plan to build a $20 million parking deck that would come within one foot of the federal building.

 

In a strongly worded letter to Mayor Don Plusquellic, Judges James G. Carr and Randolph Baxter invoke the memory of the Oklahoma City bombing and say city officials have essentially ignored their security concerns over construction plans for South Main Street.

 

...

 

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/living/community/17171846.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_news

 

From the 5/5/07 ABJ:

 

 

Arguing to stop as city plans continue

Mayor Plusquellic says parking deck design will address concerns about federal security

By Phil Trexler

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

City and federal officials met Friday and apparently agreed to stop public bickering over a proposed downtown parking deck to be situated next to the U.S. courthouse.

 

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic emerged from the meeting saying the city will continue to work toward designing a building that suits the needs of the city and its developer while also addressing security concerns federal officials aired this week.

 

"We both agreed to let the technical people, the engineers... continue to work on some of these problems and issues that are legitimate,'' Plusquellic said.

 

...

 

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/17183423.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_news

 

From the 5/8/07 ABJ:

 

 

City officials exchange words over deck

Argument erupts when councilman questions mayor about security issue

By John Higgins

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic and Councilman-at-large Michael Williams got into a heated exchange Monday afternoon about why the mayor didn't inform council of the security concerns federal officials raised over a proposed $20 million downtown parking deck.

 

Council approved construction a week ago for a parking deck that would be squeezed between the Federal and Chase buildings between South Main Street and Dart Avenue.

 

...

 

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/17194452.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_news

 

So a parking deck is so close to a building, so what? I've been by many federal buildings that have ... *gasp* roads in front of them, parking spaces adjacent, buildings next to, and so on. If a terrorist or suicide bomber really wants to take out a building, he/she can do it in so many ways.

Posted on Wed, Jul. 25, 2007

Akron halts plan for offices, deck

Federal judges express safety concerns that proposed downtown building was too close to courthouse

By John Higgins and Stephanie Warsmith

Beacon Journal staff writers

 

Akron has scrapped a multimillion- dollar project next to the federal building that would have eased downtown parking shortages and provided a new headquarters for Signet Enterprises.

 

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic announced Tuesday in a news release that the city continues to negotiate with federal officials to determine what can be built next to the John F. Seiberling Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse so that it satisfies the judges' security concerns. A $20 million parking deck had been planned for the site.

 

To relieve parking problems downtown, the city will instead extend the existing Superblock parking deck behind the Akron Centre Complex on South Main Street west across Dart Avenue, according to the city's release.

 

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Mayor wants to aid 2 firms

FirstEnergy still needs parking, developer seeks a site, Plusquellic says

By John Higgins

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic provided more details at his news conference Wednesday about his July 6 agreement with federal judges on development of a city parcel next to the downtown federal building and courthouse.

 

The agreement -- reached just before the dedication ceremony naming the federal building for former U.S. Rep. John Seiberling -- scrapped city plans to build a $20 million parking deck that would have supported a new office building for Akron developer Anthony Manna.

 

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