Yea, I saw that. I think they stated it like that to make them seem cheap. They did the same thing when Spicer Village went to rentals. The thing is, with the way the apts. there are set up now, you do actually rent the bedroom. Each bedroom has its own key and bathroom. So you could live with people you don't know and still feel safe.

 

$1400/month is still too much for me, but I would think maybe some of the young lawyers and doctors downtown could afford it.

 

The places you mentioned cover the housing downtown. I haven't heard great things about Canal Square, just b/c its getting old at this point. If they ever get funding in place, there will be yp housing at the Landmark Building on Lock 4. Everything is ready to go from the City's side, the owners just need to get more funding.

 

Also, there are rumblings of something going on with the Mayflower. That would be years away though before anything got moving, just rumors now.

Heh.  I'm a young lawyer in town and I could afford that, but I don't think I'd choose to afford that unless it really were spectacular.  I looked at some of those townhomes at Northside that they were asking $2000/mo. for.  Even splitting with a roommate to get it to $1000/bedroom, that would have been rich for my taste.  I ended up in Canal Square, and it may be an older building (and I'm a little nervous about what will happen on the ground floor now that the YMCA has left), but it's solid as a rock and the management company has actually been really good, particularly with respect to maintenance and upgrades.  The utilities are high because the insulation isn't exactly the best, but that's really the only knock that I've had for the place so far.

 

Another place that some rentals might arise soon (just because the market to sell them isn't spectacular) are the two lower-midrange condo developments on Bartges southwest of downtown.  They're suburban, cookie-cutter units on the outside, but I've been inside a few of them, and some of them were actually pretty nice.  The problem is that they're just far enough outside the downtown core that it would be hard to walk to much from there, other than Gojo, Canal Place, and maybe Spaghetti Warehouse.

I found an illustration for the new apartment complex...go to this website and watch the video. The illustration pops up around 1:07. http://ht.ly/42Jr5

Here is a render

Not a fan of the design. But glad to see a residential building going up again.

I'm not a "fan" of the design, but I have nothing in particular against it, either.  And I am definitely a fan of the fact that it exists at all.

It's supposed to be more complimentary to the AES building across the street. I think the design is better than the 22 Exchange building. Can't really tell what's going on with that building.

I guess on the corner of 22 Exchange they are suppose to be building a nightclub called "ZAR." I'm not really sure how I feel about this...I thought they were suppose to be building it in the open space above subway, but I guess they decided to put it across the street in Exchange. If I were one of the students living about the nightclub I would not be very happy about this. I have many friends that live above Brubakers and they tell me that sometimes it gets so loud that they can barely get any sleep when they need to. I'd hate to think how loud a nightclub would be below them.

 

I think the best option for that corner space would be either a nice sit down restaurant or perhaps a small convenient store. Bricco seems to get great business and I'm sure if you put more restaurants around, that area will have a lot of foot traffic. Does anyone know if Pablo's is open yet?

Paolo's (not Pablo's, though that area of downtown conspicuously lacks a Mexican place) was "open" for a private party this weekend; I loitered outside for a moment and looked in the windows, and I think it might have been a staff & owners party just to get everyone situated for whenever their planned opening might be.

 

As for 22 Exchange itself, when I Sim City the place in my head, I put a Panera on one side and a Chipotle on the other, both of which are growing chains with good images among both college students and middle-class urban professionals, which are the leading demographics in that area for foot traffic.  Nervous Dog and Panera would overlap a little bit, so that might not work now, but I think they could both be successful; there's a lot of non-overlap there, too.  And, of course, there isn't really an ice cream place in the area, either, so down the line (when both the chain and the area are more developed), I dream of a <a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2057903,00.html?xid=fblike">Jeni's, which continues to expand and be proud of the fact</a>, coming in in one of the smaller mid-block retail storefronts there, too.

 

I hadn't heard that ZAR was abandoning the Richland Building idea and moving over to 22 Exchange.  I had actually heard that Lux was moving out of that space above Bricco into 22 Exchange (and I have no idea what fate that boded for Rubber City Grill).  Now I'm even more intrigued.

Yes I agree Panera and Chipotle would be perfect for 22 Exchange. I think this arrangement of shops would be the perfect combo in there; Chipotle, Panera, Great Clips, Pizza BOGO, Coldstone Creamery, and a small convenient store. One thing that completely baffled me while living on campus was how there was no close $10 hair cut salon. Every time I needed a hair cut I  would have to drive to Howe Ave.

 

I give tours of the campus at UA and one thing I get asked a lot of is how is campus on the weekends. I kills me to tell them that most students go home on the weekends. I think if downtown had more of what students want when they go home to the suburbs, ie. a movie theatre, retail shops, nicer parks, and other entertainment venues/districts more students would want to stay in Akron for the weekend. With the new housing going in downtown, as well as plans to build close to 3000 new beds on campus it would be very smart to start developing downtown with these things.

The announced that ZAR would be going into 22 Ex. in the same press release as 401 Lofts. Its the same owner as LUX. I would assume that LUX would close. It also says that it is going to be a 2-story club. I don't see how that's possible though. It looks like there are occupied apartments on the 2nd floor on the corner and it wasn't built with a basement. Maybe somebody knows something I don't know.

I didn't realize that Jeff Lorenzo's Club 349 LLC was the owner of Lux, too.  Interesting.  And I didn't connect the press release's phrase "the Richland building" with actually being 22 Exchange.  Was wondering where exactly they meant to put this thing.

 

In order to build a 2-story club at 22 Exchange without carving up part of the second floor, the second level of the nightclub would have to be below-grade.  Not sure if they have the ability to do that now that the building is actually built, but I presume that that's what they're going to do because I don't see how they could tear up part of the second floor at this point, either.

It sounds like there are multiple stories on these nightclubs that are getting twisted around in every which way. The only logical answer to this is they screwed up in the newspaper and meant to say that LUX is moving into the two stories in the Richland building and ZAR is moving into 22 Exchange. Either way I think its a very stupid idea to put a night club in 22 Exchange. Yes it makes sense to put a nightclub below a bunch of students, but the insulation in that building is terrible, and if I were one of the students living above that nightclub having to hear that music constantly I'd be upset for how much I'm paying for one of those corner rooms. Economically wise, I don't think they thought this out very well. This is a NIGHTclub going in and during the day that nice, could have been profitable space, is going to dead and boring. Atleast with a Panera students and downtown employees day and night can benefit, as well as make that space more inviting by adding life to that section of the building. I realize if you want to fill those spaces you can't be picky, but come on use some common sense. I know plenty of students that drive out to how just to go get some coffee or lunch at Panera and do some studying. I see no reason why this wouldn't be a success just a few blocks away from campus.

Is the Richland building a different building than 22 Exchange?  Which one is the Richland building?  I thought (at least as of this afternoon--maybe I shouldn't have changed my view) that simply meant the 22 Exchange building itself, calling it the Richland building because the press release mentioned a moment earlier that it was owned by Richland Communities.

I'm pretty sure the Richland building is the one that Subway is currently located there on the corner. I remember reading an article a couple weeks ago that talked about ZAR going into the Richland building where the club "Fuel" use to be and I know that thats where it was located.

Richland is the name of the developer/leasing company.  The article referred to the building that is currently standing aka 22 exchange as the the richland building.  So yes lux is going bye bye. With a new address and name zar as is stated on the corner of 22 exchange it will open in the summer. As far as the 2 story thing i believe there is room on the second floor at the corner. I don't know the floor plans but i suspect it could just be a balcony area. I wouldn't expect the bulk of the club to be upstairs. 

Well I guess we will see in the upcoming months what the actual plan is.

 

On another topic, I drove by the Bridgestone Technical facility today and it looks like they are starting to move ground for the new parking deck they are building across the street.

Anyone know what's going on at Howard/rt59/main? I noticed a construction fense up.

I'm assuming that fence is for the BioInnovation Institute that is suppose to be going into that building. I really hope that by the institute  moving into this building they will liven it up a bit.

Vacant Akron bank to be razed

Law firm to expand offices to site of former Ohio Savings branch

 

By Katie Byard

Beacon Journal business writer

 

Published on Sunday, Mar 13, 2011

 

One of downtown Akron's more distinctive buildings — a round structure that housed an Ohio Savings Bank branch — will be torn down to make way for something new.

 

More here ----> http://www.ohio.com/business/117891519.html

Wow, that's good news that a bigger office building will occupy the site. Too bad they have to tear that down thought b/c it is a interesting design. The shape doesn't work well for any type of retrofit. A restaurant had recently looked at going in there, but the shape made it difficult to get a feasible layout.

 

Housing agency invests in going green

 

AMHA to add wind turbine, solar panels to buildings

 

By Bob Downing

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

Wind and the sun soon will be helping to power Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority buildings.

 

In June, the agency will install its first renewable-energy project: a rooftop wind turbine at the Saferstein Towers II off Diagonal Road in southwest Akron, said agency Executive Director Anthony O'Leary and Ron Rychel, project manager for Ameresco Inc., the firm managing the project.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/117891494.html

Eh, I don't think I'll miss it too much; "interesting" and "good" or "usable" are two different things.  And that firm said some very positive things about downtown, writ large, as part of saying why they intended to stay downtown and build rather than move out to the suburbs and find some preexisting office park space somewhere.  (One of Akron's largest law firms moved from downtown out to one of the big office midrises on Embassy Parkway not so long ago, so it's good to hear at least one other firm saying that they've got other plans.)

 

As for the rooftop renewable energy infrastructure in the AMHA buildings--sounds like a fine idea to me.  The "wind cube" is a new one on me, but if it can power most of the building (and if it's reliable enough that it isn't breaking down all the time and requiring constant maintenance), I say go for it.  I've often actually wondered what it would cost to install that in my office's own building: my firm is located in the AES building downtown, which has a very large, flat roof--and significant power requirements.

Yes I am very curious on how big they are talking about building. That lot is not very large, so I'm crossing my fingers that they are going to build a taller building. I really wish they were able to build between the Federal building and Chase.

 

In my opinion they should get a new federal building, and turn that into non federal offices, so they are able to build eventually on that lot. The current federal building is a complete bore in a very exciting part of Akron. Perhaps if another company took the building over they could do some exciting things to that space and building. I've always pictures some really cool lighting configuration for that building with how its layered. Even if it stayed some boring office building, the lighting could add some extra excitement to that busy intersection.

CITY, BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE WESTERN RESERVE ANNOUNCE NEW CLUB SITE

Set to Begin Construction at Akron's Joy Park

Published: Monday, March 14, 2011

 

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve are announcing the site of their newest Clubhouse with Akron Mayor Donald Plusquellic and teen representatives of current Boys & Girls Club members on Monday, March 14 at 10:00 AM.

 

The new Club site will be located in the Joy Park Community Center, 825 Fuller Street, Akron and is the result of a lead gift from the LeBron James Family Foundation and a partnership with the City of Akron.

 

http://ci.akron.oh.us/news_releases/Display.asp?RecNum=343

MAYOR WELCOMES NEW SOCCER FRANCHISE TO AKRON

Akron Summit Assault to Play This Summer

Published: Monday, March 07, 2011

 

 

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic welcomed the Akron Summit Assault, the newest team in the Premier Development League of The United Soccer Leagues, at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron this morning.

 

http://ci.akron.oh.us/News_Releases/Display.asp?RecNum=337

PLUSQUELLIC TURNS FIRST SHOVEL ON AUTOMOTIVE MFG OPERATION

German Company Brings 123 New Jobs

Published: Monday, March 21, 2011

 

Röchling Automotive USA plans to be in its $25 million, 75,000 square foot facility to be built in the Massillon Road Industrial Park by October.

 

http://ci.akron.oh.us/news_releases/Display.asp?RecNum=348

GARDEN OASIS IN CITY

 

Vacant plot in Akron to become urban farm

 

By Malcolm X Abram

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

On Saturday, Boni and James, a gaggle of friends and supporters, and a pair of hardworking Percheron Cross Draft horses broke ground for the garden.

 

They intend to harvest 70 varieties of fruit, vegetables and herbs, including tomatoes, corn, beans, watermelon, lettuce, kale — all without the help of any chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/118729179.html

 

Group planning sustainable living community in Akron

 

Published on Saturday, Mar 26, 2011

 

Passive house technology could be showing up in new houses in Akron.

 

Some of the building methods are expected to be incorporated in the NEOhaus EcoVillage, an environmentally sensitive community planned for Akron.

 

A group of advocates for sustainable living has been meeting monthly and working on plans to bring the ecovillage concept here.

 

http://www.ohio.com/lifestyle/home_garden/118699094.html

Developer plans more apartments

 

Council delays voting on proposed complex downtown at Main, Cedar

 

By Stephanie Warsmith

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

The new five-story, 167,000-square-foot complex would feature two-bedroom and studio or loft-style apartments and an outdoor swimming pool off a 117-space parking lot behind the building. Other amenities would include a fitness center, media room, game room, tanning bed and

study lounges. It would be marketed to college students and young professionals who work — or want to live — downtown.

 

The new apartments would rent for about $700 a month per bed, compared to $600 a month at 22 Exchange.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/118824394.html

All of a sudden, I'm thinking about going to grad school

 

:wave:

 

Come on Akron....prove me wrong by getting your act together lol.

^ You have failed to heed the warnings of your <a href="http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,25321.0.html">fellow wise men on the Internet</a>.  :angel:

 

Forget the grad school.  Find a job and move downtown as a young professional.  The beer is much better at the bars where the YPs go, not the students.  8-) :drunk:

^ You have failed to heed the warnings of your <a href="http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,25321.0.html">fellow wise men on the Internet</a>.  :angel:

 

Forget the grad school.  Find a job and move downtown as a young professional.  The beer is much better at the bars where the YPs go, not the students.  8-) :drunk:

 

Yeah you're right....I'm too old anyhow, and my existing student loans are enough that I'm seriously considering fleeing into Mexico. 

First piers installed on Akron Y-Bridge

 

Published on Wednesday, Apr 06, 2011

 

Beacon Journal staff report

 

Workers from Posen Construction Co. installed the first of the 5,000-pound concrete piers being added to the All-America or Y-Bridge on Tuesday as part of a refurbishment project.

 

The piers are decorative and will contain energy-saving LED lighting fixtures.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/119307619.html

Man, there's something about that picture ... egh, maybe I'm getting old.  Way too much going on there.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park will close without new federal budget

 

Published on Thursday, Apr 07, 2011

 

Without a new federal budget, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park will be closed to the public starting Saturday.

 

The closure, announced Wednesday by the National Park Service in Washington, D.C., would affect visitors centers, programs and even park trails and facilities. Parking lots would be locked.

 

Such a sweeping closure is necessary and warranted, said Park Service spokesman David Barna.

In addition, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad would cease to run until federal budget issues are resolved, said train spokesman Steven Wait.

 

The railroad runs Saturdays and Sundays for tourists and Thursdays and Fridays for school groups.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/119384704.html

Dang ... I was afraid of that.  They're calling 67 on Saturday and 80(!!) on Sunday, too, so it would have been one of the first really good weekends in several weeks to take the bike out to the park, too.

Diebold to build new world HQ in Akron-Canton area

 

Posted Apr 12, 2011 @ 08:19 AM

Last update Apr 12, 2011 @ 09:58 AM

 

GREEN —

 

GREEN  Diebold’s plans to consolidate its five local sites into a new corporate headquarters in the Akron-Canton area will be discussed at a 1:15 p.m. news conference today.

 

Thomas W. Swidarski, company president and chief executive officer, and Ohio governor John R. Kasich will speak at the press event at the company’s current  headquarters at 5995 Mayfair Rd.

 

Pending approval at relevant state and local levels, the project will retain at least 1,500 jobs in Ohio for eight years.

 

http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x782061359/Diebold-to-build-new-world-HQ-in-Akron-Canton-area

Summit Port Authority offers Diebold deal similar to Goodyear, Bridgestone projects; area leaders react

 

By Katie Byard

Beacon Journal business writer

 

POSTED: 12:36 p.m. EDT, Apr 13, 2011

 

The Summit County Port Authority has offered Diebold Inc. a deal similar to that involving the planned new Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. headquarters and the under-construction Bridgestone Americas technical center in Akron.

 

Port Authority president Christopher Burnham said today in an interview with the Beacon Journal that he and area officials began talking with Diebold last year and the port authority eventually offered ''some kind of lease structure'' on the headquarters, where the Port Authority would help finance construction, with Diebold leasing the facility.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/119774274.html

 

 

Student housing gets green light

 

Council OKs plans for new apartments at Cedar and Main in downtown Akron

 

By Stephanie Warsmith

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

Published on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2011

 

Akron City Council voted Monday to move forward with plans for a new downtown apartment building, despite concerns about the financial terms of the deal.

 

Akron bought the 2.2-acre property at Main and Cedar streets, which formerly housed the Parrish McIntyre tire store, for about $1.6 million in 2008. The city is selling it to developer Martin Mehall for $264,000 and another $37,000 to cover the cost of demolishing the tire store.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/119675149.html

Ouch....I can't believe some of the comments after the dorm article.....

 

I'm glad I don't live in Akron anymore.

 

I don't know what's worse, the stupid politics or the self-hating "anti-everything" mentality by the vast majority of people there. 

I hear you on that. I hate reading the comments after articles like those. Constant complaining about this and that. They must not have anything better to do than sit around and critique every little good thing that happens to the city.

On another note: Another abandoned building downtown recently got demolished, and I hope it frees up room that will be used for a larger, newer, and better building.  The old bank or credit union building near the Y-corner of Bowery and Center, just across Bowery from Canal Square, just got taken down.  It may just become a parking lot for Canal Square; the apartment already had the right to use the old parking lot of that building for its own parking.  However, I'm hoping to see something more come in there.  It's close to Main, right on the Towpath, and close to Akron Children's, with plenty of on-street parking nearby, so it might have potential as another medical office of some kind.  There's a dermatologist's office right next door, for example.

AUDIO Village At New Seasons Celebrates Opening

4/15/2011 5:44:18 AM  |  Summa Health System News Release

 

A site in West Akron that sat vacant just a few years ago with an empty shopping center collecting dust, graffiti and trash, now boasts the Village at New Seasons.

 

http://www.akronnewsnow.com/business/itemdetail.asp?ID=44899&section=business&subsection=generalbusiness&title=AUDIO_Village_At_New_Seasons_Celebrates_Openi

Goodyear headquarters project officially under way

 

By Beacon Journal staff

 

POSTED: 10:30 a.m. EDT, Apr 18, 2011

 

With help from friends and supporters, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. officially broke ground on its new headquarters complex this morning.

 

Chairman, CEO and President Richard Kramer, Gov. John Kasich, Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic and Summit County Executive Russ Pry made remarks then were joined with shovels in hand by federal, state and local officials — all who helped negotiate the deal — and, together with representatives of California-based developer Industrial Realty Group, they helped start construction at the work site.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/120060129.html

Can anyone post the renderings of the new Goodyear Campus, or tell me who the design team is?

Can anyone post the renderings of the new Goodyear Campus, or tell me who the design team is?

 

There are some in that article if you click on "more photos". Really nothing special. I can't tell who the Architect is, might be from out of town seeing as the developer is in CA, I believe.

 

Medical school eyes Akron

 

NEOUCOM is in talks to locate research center in city, president says during luncheon at UA

 

By Cheryl Powell

Beacon Journal medical writer

 

Published on Wednesday, Apr 20, 2011

 

The region's medical school based in Rootstown Township wants to have a physical presence in Akron.

 

Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy has started talks about locating a research center somewhere in the city, President Jay A. Gershen said during his appearance Tuesday at the Akron Press Club luncheon on the University of Akron campus.

 

http://www.ohio.com/business/120263039.html

True, but the property being freed up downtown near the convention center and Greystone makes for a nice piece of hotel property.

True, but the property being freed up downtown near the convention center and Greystone makes for a nice piece of hotel property.

 

I doubt that the church will be torn down in favor for a hotel. There are a few surface areas without building structures near the convention center. Demolition isnt cheap.  Personally, there may be a need for a hotel on the south side of downtown if that area keeps seeing growth.

 

 

Is there any word on the new Diebold location yet?

 

 

 

Main is already two-way, which is sort of the heart of Downtown, though.  Exchange is only one-way west of Main for about a mile (then it rejoins with Cedar and becomes two-way again).  Market is two-way.  And the vast majority of the side streets that aren't as well-known are two-way, too.  The area bounded by High and the Innerbelt/MLK has a lot of underdeveloped parcels on two-way streets, including a number very near the canal, which the article emphasized (rightly, IMO, though of course I'm biased since I live right on it).

 

The Civic Theater area, the Mayflower area, the Kaiser Building area ... there are plenty of critical parcels right on Main and other two-way streets already.

Main is already two-way, which is sort of the heart of Downtown, though.  Exchange is only one-way west of Main for about a mile (then it rejoins with Cedar and becomes two-way again).  Market is two-way.  And the vast majority of the side streets that aren't as well-known are two-way, too.  The area bounded by High and the Innerbelt/MLK has a lot of underdeveloped parcels on two-way streets, including a number very near the canal, which the article emphasized (rightly, IMO, though of course I'm biased since I live right on it).

 

The Civic Theater area, the Mayflower area, the Kaiser Building area ... there are plenty of critical parcels right on Main and other two-way streets already.

 

Good points, let me clarify. Geographically you're right, most streets downtown are two way. But the most critical area to me, imho, is where downtown meets the University. This is the area that has great potential for improving walkability. The three main streets that cut through north/south; Main, St (two way),  High St. (one way) and S. Broadway (one way). My experience walking from campus to downtown is that pedestrians are met with a curtain of fast moving traffic. High and S. Broadway "set the tone" that the purpose of downtown is to channel the flow of traffic, and not for walking.

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..

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.