While I agree about the train tracks- good point btw, I disagree on your one way street analysis. 

 

**side note, what an asset that rail through city/campus could be someday!!

 

As a commuter in a downtown, I appreciate any opportunity I have to make a right, or a left hand turn at my discretion.

 

Anyhow I believe the inconvenience to commuting times would not be significant, however, since there is no traffic study to my knowledge I'll simply agree to disagree with you on that issue.

 

In my imagination, University Ave is the no-brainer, best potential for a smooth, safe, walkable transition between campus and a lively, viably commercial, future downtown. You've got Buchtel Commons basically opening up to the city already.  As you mentioned CoB and Polsky are there. And the future law school will help bridge the gap too, if UA can manage to upgrade their urban design of course.

 

Don't forget the issue of the railroad tracks there as a manmade geographical boundary between the university and the heart of downtown.  Because those bridges arch upward, their separating visual effect is magnified.  I think that seals off a lot of campus from down much more than High or Broadway do.  Polsky and the CoB are obvious exceptions, since they're already downtown, but that's only the tiniest fraction of the university's geography.

 

High and Broadway may be problematic to cross from the university side, but I don't think that the solution is to make them two-way.  Commuters *do* need ways in and out of the city; the downtown office market in Akron is stressed enough without deliberately jacking up everyone's commute times.  Downtown is sustained by people who work downtown even if they don't live here.  Granted, we want more people to live here--but that's a long-term project.  Disadvantaging commuters by the tens of thousands for the benefit of pedestrians that number closer into the hundreds is not going to be a good short- or medium-term economic or social play for the city.  Not when we already have so many more pedestrian-friendly streets that still don't have a great deal of pedestrian-friendly development along them yet.

While I agree about the train tracks- good point btw, I disagree on your one way street analysis. 

 

**side note, what an asset that rail through city/campus could be someday!!

 

As a commuter in a downtown, I appreciate any opportunity I have to make a right, or a left hand turn at my discretion.

 

Anyhow I believe the inconvenience to commuting times would not be significant, however, since there is no traffic study to my knowledge I'll simply agree to disagree with you on that issue.

 

In my imagination, University Ave is the no-brainer, best potential for a smooth, safe, walkable transition between campus and a lively, viably commercial, future downtown. You've got Buchtel Commons basically opening up to the city already.  As you mentioned CoB and Polsky are there. And the future law school will help bridge the gap too, if UA can manage to upgrade their urban design of course.

 

Where is University currently one-way?  I thought it was two-way for its whole stretch.

 

Exchange is the big bridge for me, because it's closer to the University Park residential area.  University just goes to E.J. Thomas and the heart of the academic campus, which is important, but I think connecting the residential areas directly to downtown is more important.

 

And, of course, the university is only one side of downtown.  There are lots of other underused plots on the west side of downtown closer to the hospitals.  On the south side of downtown, I'm torn--there are facilities there that are performing needed functions, but the landscape is very suburban (in the sense of being built in automotive scale, not pedestrian scale).  Even the people who live in the Townhomes or Landings at Canal Park don't have a particularly super-convenient walk to the heart of downtown.  I don't know why they broke up the Towpath Trail through there.

For the typical student, I think this is mostly nullified by the Roo buses that circulate around UA and through the city.  Also, if its bad weather and someone is over by the College of Business its fairly easy to take the skywalk over to Polskys or even the garage.  I would say that your statement is most true for the Exchange st and Grant street dorms or even the typical near campus housing..  I would include the Exchange St bridge over the tracks as an inhibitor by its tight sidewalk and how exposed one is to crosswinds.  Maybe they should create a polymer pedestrian bridge near there..  Looking at the map, I would say a pedestrian bridge connecting Folk Hall parking lot and selle st over the train tracks would be a fairly easy path into the city from the Grant/Spicer st neighborhoods..

 

They are making a bridge from Quaker Square, not sure if you heard about that.

 

EarthFare joins mix of area grocery stores

 

Natural and organic foods retailer opens outlet today in Shops of Fairlawn

 

By Lisa Abraham

Beacon Journal food writer

 

FAIRLAWN: A new player steps onto the Akron area's crowded field of grocery stores today, when EarthFare opens in the Shops of Fairlawn on West Market Street.

 

The Asheville, N.C.-based store bills itself as ''the healthy grocery store,'' and CEO Jack Murphy makes it clear that the emphasis in that slogan is on ''grocery store.''

 

http://www.ohio.com/business/121618974.html

While I agree about the train tracks- good point btw, I disagree on your one way street analysis. 

 

**side note, what an asset that rail through city/campus could be someday!!

 

As a commuter in a downtown, I appreciate any opportunity I have to make a right, or a left hand turn at my discretion.

 

Anyhow I believe the inconvenience to commuting times would not be significant, however, since there is no traffic study to my knowledge I'll simply agree to disagree with you on that issue.

 

In my imagination, University Ave is the no-brainer, best potential for a smooth, safe, walkable transition between campus and a lively, viably commercial, future downtown. You've got Buchtel Commons basically opening up to the city already.  As you mentioned CoB and Polsky are there. And the future law school will help bridge the gap too, if UA can manage to upgrade their urban design of course.

 

Where is University currently one-way?  I thought it was two-way for its whole stretch.

 

Exchange is the big bridge for me, because it's closer to the University Park residential area.  University just goes to E.J. Thomas and the heart of the academic campus, which is important, but I think connecting the residential areas directly to downtown is more important.

 

And, of course, the university is only one side of downtown.  There are lots of other underused plots on the west side of downtown closer to the hospitals.  On the south side of downtown, I'm torn--there are facilities there that are performing needed functions, but the landscape is very suburban (in the sense of being built in automotive scale, not pedestrian scale).  Even the people who live in the Townhomes or Landings at Canal Park don't have a particularly super-convenient walk to the heart of downtown.  I don't know why they broke up the Towpath Trail through there.

 

Yes University is two way. Didn't mean to intone otherwise.

 

Hmmm....Exchange....what do you think the answer is to make Exchange a better link? The effect of the new res halls are going to be very interesting. And there's so much potential for more new development too.

 

I have to say, I'm not at all impressed with my alma maters attempts at urban design. I don't give them an F, more like a D grade.  Any inroads to improve things will require UA to drastically step up its game.

Sadly, I have to agree regarding the university's urban sensibilities.  It's like they're trying to be half-integrated and half-segregated, and we get the worst of both worlds ... Polsky's uninviting Main Street side, for example.

 

Regarding making Exchange between campus and downtown friendly, that's not 100% in the university's control, since there's the Beacon-Journal facility there as well, I believe (west of the bridge), and I have no idea who owns the rights to the bridge itself.  It also would depend on how much money is available--from whomever--to work with.  With a bottomless budget, I'd see the bridge capped with retail storefronts on both sides and enough sidewalk for sidewalk patios, and a fixed-rail streetcar going from basically around Exchange & Rt. 8 to Exchange & Rt. 59.  That's unrealistic given real-world budget constraints, of course.

Ah, a modern day Ponte Vecchio

 

^ That might be a touch excessive for a railroad bridge in Akron..

 

In other news, someone mentioned about the Nervous Dog being shut down on W. market.  Well, walking by the new Nervous Dog on S. Main it is now named Cuppa.  So I would wonder if the other one in Stow has been shut down or name changed.  Perhaps Nervous Dog renamed them all to Cuppa?  I did a google of the name and saw there was a Nervous Dog coffee in SF that seemed very unrelated.  I'm surprised there isn't anything in the paper about that..

 

Since I'm discussing local coffee shops that seem to be no more, I noticed that the former Arabica in Boston Heights as well as the driving range are about to be knocked down for apparently a new Paychex regional office.  That was probably the first coffee shops in Northeast Ohio to be a fully stocked bar as well as a coffee shop.

 

Then there's EuroGyro..

EuroGyro is undergoing big makeover

May 12, 2011 by Akron Beacon Journal Leave a Comment Filed under: Dining, Featured, Featured 2 Tagged with

 

Katie Byard

Beacon Journal business writer

 

EuroGyro — a longtime carryout in a converted old house across from the University of Akron — is changing into a sit-down eatery.

 

Workers from Butcher & Son Inc. of Akron demolish the EuroGyron on E Exchange St in Akron on Wednesday. Owners hope to reopen in a new 5,000-square-foot building this fall. (Karen Schiely/Akron Beacon Journal)

 

Workers with Butcher & Son Inc. of Akron demolished the two-story house Wednesday to make way for a bigger two-story structure at 444 E. Exchange St.

 

EuroGyro owner George Istocki hopes to reopen in the new 5,000-square-foot building sometime this fall.

http://the330.com/featured/eurogyro-is-undergoing-big-makeover/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+the330+%28The330+Main+Feed%29

/\/\/\ VERY NICE

 

Rebuild vs. remodel explored for schools

 

Studies planned for Firestone, Litchfield projects

 

By Linda Golz

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

Akron Public Schools will detail the costs and create preliminary conceptional drawings for remodeling and for rebuilding Firestone High School and Litchfield Middle School.

 

At a meeting Thursday with architect John Peterson of the GPD Group, Akron school board member James Hardy made that suggestion after several people voiced concerns about the cost of rebuilding the schools.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/121762929.html

I actually went to Litchfield...and i actually agree...it could be remodeled. It's no great shakes in architecture, but honestly it's the same building as Innes, which DID get remodeled.

Setback possible in bridge project

 

City's construction manager says fence coating likely to deteriorate; fixing problem could hold up work

 

By Stephanie Warsmith

 

The plan to add a fence to the All-America Bridge has been stalled because of a problem with the fence's coating.

 

An analysis showed the brown coating with black speckles would be defective in a few years — either flaking off, breaking up or leaving a white, chalky texture.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/121876383.html

Bridgestone moving along:

 

Summa builds health center in needy Akron neighborhood

Published: Sunday, May 22, 2011, 5:00 PM

The Plain Dealer By Sarah Jane Tribble, The Plain Dealer

 

AKRON, Ohio -- A quick drive down South Hawkins Avenue to a part of West Akron that city planners targeted for redevelopment reveals shuttered shops and vacant buildings. Front yards in this once-middle-class pocket are full of for-sale and foreclosure signs.

 

"We have a lot of people out of work," the Rev. Herman Matherson explained one recent morning as he stood in front of the neighborhood's 7,000- member megachurch, the House of the Lord.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2011/05/summa_builds_health_center_in.html

More New Quality Housing is Coming to the Edgewood Area

Published: Tuesday, May 24, 2011

 

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic today announced a major new housing project that will revitalize and enhance a neighborhood in southwest Akron through the construction of 25 new single family homes and the rehabilitation of five single-family homes in the area bounded by Moon and Mallison Streets in the Edgewood Urban Renewal district.

 

http://ci.akron.oh.us/news_releases/Display.asp?RecNum=384

Akron OKs Goodyear deck

Company to build five-story parking structure, skyway to go with headquarters

By Stephanie Warsmith

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

A big building needs a big parking deck.

 

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s new headquarters will be 639,000 square feet and seven stories.

 

The company's new employee parking deck will be 994,550 square feet and five stories.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/123305038.html

 

New housing, presumably, going in across from the Falls Sheraton. They don't have a project sign up.

 

Some new construction I don't remember hearing about, S. Summit St. Downtown. I think it said it was some type of plastics engineering center.

 

 

 

 

Check out the UPA Master Plan video...

 

http://tinyurl.com/6xfcbce

 

 

not the least bit impressed another snake oil salesman like Rebecca Ryan who takes the money and runs

Some materials going on the facade at Bridgestone.

 

 

 

 

This thread is temporarily locked until a NE mod or admin wants to deal with Tom.

"Stop being disengenuous and provoking."

 

Stop having a condescending and abrasive tone. That's what keeps getting this thread locked, most of the time.

I think this thread can be unlocked now. I and other moderators will be monitoring it to ensure it stays civil and on-topic. Thanks for your interest in Akron-Canton developments.

I don't think that all of the first phase townhomes have sold, though perhaps more than I thought had--I had actually thought that hardly any had sold.

 

Checking Trulia (http://www.trulia.com/OH/Akron/44308/#for_sale/44308_zip/price;a_sort/), there are a lot of townhomes at Northside still for sale, though I wonder if some of those are intended to be the new units not yet built.  Or they could simply be all owned by people trying to flip, which isn't necessarily a positive development, either, even if the implication is that the units sold once.  (The street addresses, if Trulia is to be believed, also go from 93 to 121, which is a wide range for that stretch and implies that some of the numbers might correspond to units intended to be part of Phase II.)

 

I'd be pleased to learn that I (and Trulia) am wrong and that most of the currently completed units have been sold to long-term owner-occupiers, of course.

I know they sold some of those townhomes. I think one was purchased by a corporation to house out of town employees. If you go on that website though it looks like all of them are still listed. I wouldn't be surprised if they were purchased by investors who would still sell them.

The one in Northside that is foreclosed on seems to be a decent deal. 2,200 s.f. for 116k. Its probably not finished though and they may not be offering a buildout package with that price.

Sadly, Trulia's foreclosure listings are not reliable indicators of the offering price.  I don't think that condo is actually available (even if you could track down the foreclosing lender) for $116k; I think it's the same one that was relisted at $250k.  (That has since vanished from the Web site, so maybe it finally sold ... it had initially been on the market with an asking price of $290k when I first started following it.)

And I see that they are starting to build more townhouses at Northside. The townhouses are moving south (up the hill) along Howard Street toward the W&LE railroad bridge. Great to see!!

 

I drove by hear yesterday on my way to Luigi's and didn't see any sign of developement, so I'm kind of confused. Ehat indications have you seen?

 

I did drive near 22 exchange though and see that they have started moving ground to construct the new 401 Loft apartments. Hopefully something will go up soon.

 

There seems to be a lot of new construction going on. It's exciting!

 

New Marriott Residence Inn to go up in Fairlawn

 

Project on four acres on Embassy Parkway expected to start in fall

 

By Marilyn Miller

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

The $11 million project is expected to be completed in 12 months.

 

The hotel will be built on a four-acre site at 4080 Embassy Parkway. The property was annexed from Bath Township in 1995 and zoned for a hotel.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/124254318.html

 

 

 

New Advance Auto Parts store slated to open in West Akron

 

By Betty Lin-Fisher

Beacon Journal business writer

 

An auto supply store will take the place of a Burger King in West Akron.

 

National retailer Advance Auto Parts will put a new store at 1892 W. Market St., its 10th store in the Akron region.

 

http://www.ohio.com/business/124254263.html

 

They already demo'd the Burger King and started the new earthwork.

 

 

Boston group to return to update UA plan

 

Sasaki Associates hired to direct the university's growth next 20-30 years

 

By Carol Biliczky

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

The University of Akron has hired a consultant to update the plan that paved the way for $626 million in improvements over the past decade.

 

Sasaki Associates Inc., from the Boston area, will spend the next year designing a guide for university growth over the next few decades.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/124173469.html

 

how about this comment, haha:

Curtis said there has been some talk of ''using [the JAR] as a practice gym and building a new arena on campus or as a joint effort with the city of Akron and Summit County.''

However, with projected costs at $60 million to $70 million for a new arena and money tight for all potential partners, the current facility instead might be renovated, Curtis said.

Thanks SquareWest, and welcome to UrbanOhio!

The lake is one asset the city really needs to take advantage of. I see what they're doing with Chippewaw lake with the spa, hotel and retail and I think it would be perfect to completely renovate that area with those. I picture restaurants in the lake as well as a small marina where people can walk around, eat, shop and rent a boat or jet ski.

I know they sold some of those townhomes. I think one was purchased by a corporation to house out of town employees. If you go on that website though it looks like all of them are still listed. I wouldn't be surprised if they were purchased by investors who would still sell them.

 

Last time I paid attention to the strip of condos there, only one of the electrical boxes actually had a functioning meter in it.  I figured that was a good indicator of occupancy.  That was probably two or three months ago that I actually looked but I can't imagine it is any different now... which is too bad.

I seriously hope they finally complete the section of the Towpath Trail through the south end of downtown so that the part of the trail marked on that presentation as "existing Towpath Trail" actually connects with the leg of the Towpath that goes north from downtown and into the Valley.  That's a minor point in the grander scheme of Summit Lake's issues, of course, but one that's near and dear to my heart.

 

You're probably right that this proposal won't happen anytime soon.  Still, it's good to see it posted on the Internet just for a quick glimpse of what might be possible there someday--and, frankly, as a reminder that someone out there still cares about the area.

Here's a shot of the Advanced Auto Parts store that is in the location of the old Burger King in the Wallhaven area. They have some funky color treatments going on with the CMU. I have a hard time thinking this will look good in the end.

 

 

Was driving down Wooster / V. Odom and saw they have a 4 story apartment building going up on the edge of the Edgewood Village development.  Checked out the phases on the website - http://www.edgewoodakron.com/aboutUsPhases.asp - looks like they have given up on the home ownership portion of the development...  ? I took a spin through the neighborhood and it looks really nice. 

 

I wish I had higher hopes for the project but it doesn't seem like the billed subsidized mixed-income projects turn out that way as far as I can tell.  Canton tried it with Vienna Woods and from what I've read/heard it degenerated pretty quickly back to subsidized neighborhood stereotypes.

 

Setting aside the subsidized aspects of it, I'm a little dubious that there would be a huge attraction to buy into what is a majority rental development, particularly in mid-market and below.  Who would want to make a major investment like that when your next door neighbor in a row-style block could be a constant churn of renters w/o a vested interest in their property?  I don't see how that could be beneficial to home values.

 

I will say the new Edgewood sure looks a hell of a lot better than the old Edgewood though.  Well laid out and quite inviting.  Anyone familiar?  Thoughts?

It is a really nice neighborhood. That whole are over there has had some great improvement in the past 10 years, and the zoo is right there as well.

I think what the idea of the development as a whole is to have all types of classes live there. That's really what every city strives for with housing.

 

Here's a pic I snapped a couple weeks back.

 

Housing at the University of Akron. The first pic is the finished "EnVision" housing and the others are the first part of the new housing that is by the Exchange St. dorms.

 

 

 

 

No problem! I am very excited about this project, and I can not wait to see this happen.

 

I hope to sit down with Eric Johnson (President of the University Park Alliance) sometime in the next month in hopes to discuss a project I am working on with the University of Akron chapter of  Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE).

 

I am project leader, and what we are hoping to do is acquire a vacant building downtown where we may be able to put around 4-5 businesses. These would be storefront businesses such as art galleries, delis, pastry/coffee shops, clothing, etc..  The businesses would come from young local entrepreneurs, and we plan to partner with a couple organizations in order to come up with the proper funding as well as help build their business plans. The objective of this project is to get young graduates and professionals in the city to get excited about downtown and to help make it one of their own. If our cities goal is to help retain local talent we want to make it appealing to them. With this project I hope to do that through proper forms of marketing and events. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them. Thank you.

 

If you're looking for a building actually downtown, Main St. area, I would suggest talking to the Downtown Akron Partnership. www.downtownakron.com What you are talking about is one of their main activities / goals. Even though the plan that was released encompasses all of Downtown Akron, the University Park Alliance has boundaries which it may or may not be bound by. That being said Mr. Johnson is very approachable and helpful.

If Little Rock, Kenosha and Memphis can do it, why not Akron?

 

http://www.littlerock.com/info-maps/riverrail/

http://kenoshastreetcarsociety.org/today.aspx

http://www.matatransit.com/trolleyService.aspx

 

I'd start with an L-shaped line on Main/Howard, Exchange, old South Union, Buchtel/University, Broadway and MLK, with the top of the L being at CVSR Northside station.

KJP,

 

I took a cross country trip last summer and rode the Little Rock and Kenosha streetcars.  The Little Rock one was great, really connecting both sides of the river.  The Kenosha (my sister lives there) line was limited but fun.  I was also in Memphis, but didn't get a chance to see their streetcars.  I have often thought how a streetcar loop in Akron could connect so many neighborhoods.

KJP,

 

I always imagines a similar route. However, I envisioned a U-shaped route running down Exchange St starting near the stadium down to Main St. Then Main St. to Market, and market down to city hospital.

 

I never realized Memphis or Little Rock had streetcars. It definitely gives me hope of the possibility of Akron acquiring a system. I hope if Akron would ever get one it would be more modernized. Something along the lines of streetcars in Portland, OR. http://www.portlandstreetcar.org/

Here's a link to a map of the old Akron Streetcar lines.

 

http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/162423/Akron+++Street+Map+++Street+Car+Lines/Summit+County+1891/Ohio/

 

KJP,

 

I always imagines a similar route. However, I envisioned a U-shaped route running down Exchange St starting near the stadium down to Main St. Then Main St. to Market, and market down to city hospital.

 

I never realized Memphis or Little Rock had streetcars. It definitely gives me hope of the possibility of Akron acquiring a system. I hope if Akron would ever get one it would be more modernized. Something along the lines of streetcars in Portland, OR. http://www.portlandstreetcar.org/

 

That routing would work too. It would probably be developed in phases -- including starting out with second-hand or heritage streetcars to keep the start-up costs down. You can always add brand-new modern streetcars at a later time.

 

Thanks for the map, G-Mann17. Did you know that the old Northern Ohio Traction & Light interurban station for downtown Akron is still standing even though it hasn't been used for its intended purpose in exactly 80 years? It was a multi-track station with a European-style train shed. It's on North High Street, between Market and MLK, next to the Summit County Job & Family Services building. You can see the train shed very clearly on Google Streetview looking southwest from the corner of North High and MLK. Might make a nice car barn for the storage and maintenance of streetcars. There could even be a little museum with a couple of historic cars and a thematic restaurant in there.

I've always wondered what that large shed was behind summit county jobs and family services building. It seems like a complete waste to space that had no purpose. That would be great if it served it's purpose again down the line.

 

Here is a link to the architectural firm behind this Akron plan. Unfortunately they don't have renderings up of Akron yet, but I'm hoping that soon once they develop more of a plan they will post more. http://www.eekarchitects.com/

The Summit County Job & Family Services building was originally built by the NOT&L for its offices and the waiting room for its trains which arrived and departed behind in the train shed. I just found a book with lots of pictures. I'll scan and post them in another thread so we can bring this thread back on topic.

I'm curious what the relevance the master plan is to streetcars..  I have not seen any information about how they are taking transportation issues into their analysis.  Metro RTA is not a partner in this master plan.  BTW, I posted on the Greater Akron Metro thread for those of you that may be interested in transportation issues in the Akron area to fill out a survey for their own 20 year master plan. 

Shuffle at strip mall expands shops, fills vacancies

 

By Betty Lin-Fisher

Beacon Journal business writer

 

A shuffle of several retailers at the Fairlawn Town Centre on West Market Street will fill long-empty vacant storefronts while allowing several retailers to expand into new spaces.

 

Giant Eagle will gain 18,000 square feet Lucky Shoes currently occupies to expand its store and have frontage along busy West Market Street. Lucky Shoes, a longtime independent shoe store, will move from the west end of the retail center to take over 20,000 square feet in four retail spaces on the east end of the center

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/shuffle-at-strip-mall-expands-shops-fills-vacancies-1.225394

 

Temple Israel plans move from Akron

 

By Colette M. Jenkins

Beacon Journal religion writer

 

The balance of synagogues in Summit County is about to shift.

 

Currently, there are two in Akron — Temple Israel and Beth El Congregation — one in Bath Township, Anshe Sfard (Revere Road) Synagogue and one in Hudson, Temple Beth Shalom.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/temple-israel-plans-move-from-akron-1.225349

 

Akron to sell land to FirstEnergy for future expansion

 

Utility to gain 11.5 acres for expansion. City gets former Gorge plant site

 

By Stephanie Warsmith

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

Akron plans to sell 11.5 acres to FirstEnergy Properties Inc. to give the company room to grow at its West Akron campus.

 

The company will buy the property for $400,000 and give the city about 14.3 acres along the Cuyahoga River.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/akron-to-sell-land-to-firstenergy-for-future-expansion-1.225311

Paving The Way For Transportation Improvements

7/18/2011 10:58:46 AM  |  Amani Abraham, AkronNewsNow.com

 

The Greater Akron area will have a list of transportation improvement projects that will be part of a new $625 million program spanning throughout the next four years.

 

Director of Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study, Jason Segedy says that spending of the funds are decided through plans made by his staff.

 

http://www.akronnewsnow.com/news/itemdetail.asp?ID=46400&section=news&subsection=localnews&title=Paving_The_Way_For_Transportation_Improvements

/\/\/\ Glad to see they are investing in maintaining the existing infrastructure.

 

 

Retail stores in Fairlawn thriving

 

Tenants fill up vacant storefronts with some newcomers arriving

 

By Marilyn Miller

Beacon Journal staff write

 

FAIRLAWN: Business is good in Fairlawn.

 

The Shops of Fairlawn has 100 percent occupancy, the old Verizon building across the street in Rosemont Commons has a new tenant and the last outside spot at Summit Mall — The Rail, a bar grill — will open its doors this week.

 

Menchies, a frozen yogurt store, the Original Mattress Factory and EarthFare, an organic food store that replaced Sofa Express, are the last tenants filling the Shops of Fairlawn.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local-news/retail-stores-in-fairlawn-thriving-1.225673

Another downtown construction eyewitness update: The small medical office building at Exchange & Bowery, just south and across Bowery from Akron Children's, has just been demolished.  I don't know what's going into that spot, however.  Just happened to pass it on the way to work this morning.

I think Children's might be getting ready to do some more expanding. They are landlocked on a couple sides by the canal and the highway.

Bridgestone progress:

 

I was down at 22 Exchange today and I noticed what use to be Nervous Dog and Kuppa Coffee is now becoming a Caroline's Cupcakes. I guess there is one in canton. They have already started to redo the inside, and the website says they plan on an August opening. Here is  the website.

http://www.carolinescupcakes.com/

 

 

I was down at 22 Exchange today and I noticed what use to be Nervous Dog and Kuppa Coffee is now becoming a Caroline's Cupcakes. I guess there is one in canton. They have already started to redo the inside, and the website says they plan on an August opening. Here is  the website.

http://www.carolinescupcakes.com/

 

Hmm.. Back when nervous dog first opened I was downtown taking pictures and popped in for a hot drink. There was a young lady there working there who told me she was the pastery chef for the coffee shop and that she had her own lil shop in canton where she made everything early in the morning. Wonder if she's the one opening the shop.. I wouldn't mind running into her again. Made a mean banana/peanutbutter latte.

 

 

/\/\/\

Someone else told me that girl was a really good barista. I wish I would have know that before I went there, I just got a coffee from her.