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Akron! Nice job.

It's been a long time since I've been in Akron. Downtown is looking up.

I like Akron!

What's the latest on the Quaker Oats complex?

My home!

 

Evergrey- I have no idea, I would assume that at least half the complex are dorm rooms now.

I believe the city requested that 200 rooms remain until a new hotel is built. I assume the rest has been taken over by UA as westakron1 said.

i thought chrissie said, "my city was gone" ....but it ain't.

I believe 200 rooms have been converted to dorms, and about 100 rooms are being kept as hotel rooms for the next few years.  The stores are remaining open, but the restaurant has closed, and a dorm cafeteria is opening.  There is also a lot of undeveloped space in the complex that is being considered as possible classrooms.

Great pics ink!  My hometown is looking good; just wish we were actually looking at those temps currently.

 

 

 

 

Wow! A very neat, tidy town with lots of flowering plants. Too bad its streetscape has a lot of empty stores and... no people :(

^ Yeah, it depresses me to look at those empty store fronts.  I remember as a kid going downtown and shopping on Main St. with my mom; it seemed like the coolest thing to me, especially around the holidays.

 

There was talk of a development of some sort (can't remember the details), so some of those storefronts where actually vacated a few years back to make way for the development.  Haven't heard anything recently about what they plan to do on the part of Main St. or if the plans are even still in place or not.

Seems like some of the old empty store fronts are starting to fill back up.

Seems like stores and condos are taking them over.

Great group of pictures, nice documentary work.

Nice shots. I've lived in Ohio all my life and never actually been to Akron. Looks like a nice place.

I like Akron too.

I wish I was still in Ohio so I could do Akron some real justice. Is there anyone willing to really visit Akron? How about visiting some of the dense and diverse neighborhoods or Montrose or Merriman Valley or how about some pics of and off of The Y Bridge or The Portage Lakes. What about that beautiful wooden Indian figure near Fairlawn. The traffic on RT 8 or 76 during rush hour :wtf: would give everyone a real idea of what type of metropolitan area Akron is. The pics I have seen on this site make Akron look like a hick town and although, again, it's no Cleveland, there are 1.6 million people in the Akron-Canton Area. How about Exchange St. near Akron U or Downtown Akron on Friday and Saturday night or during a baseball game. Downtown Akron is no Cleveland but I promise you there are more people and traffic down there than anyone ever gets in a pic. I don't have a clue why. Someone please represent for me!!!

Welcome to the forum. I used to live in Hudson and spent my time between Akron and Cleveland so I learned to appreciate what Akron has to offer.

 

Now to answer your questions:

 

"Is there anyone willing to really visit Akron?"

I live in Cleveland so getting to Akron isn't always practical.

 

"How about visiting some of the dense and diverse neighborhoods"

Such as?

 

"Montrose"

You're kidding, right? I mean - strip plazas and big box stores show what kind of metropolitan area Akron is? You realize that New Philadelphia has areas like Montrose?

 

"Merriman Valley"

Merriman Road is lovely (some friends own homes there) - Merriman Valley is interesting but it's not exactly aesthetically appealing - I mean, the intersection of Portage Path and Merriman? Meh.

 

"pics of and off of The Y Bridge"

Of the Y Bridge? I suppose it's interesting. Off the Y Bridge? Um, haven't they had enough jumpers?!?

 

"Portage Lakes"

Another lovely area. Someone should snap some photos.

 

"beautiful wooden Indian figure near Fairlawn."

Interesting. For about three minutes. Just IMHO.

 

"the traffic on RT 8 or 76 during rush hour"

Ah yes, because no other city has traffic comparable to Rt 8 :wtf:

 

I'm not disagreeing with everything you say, and I'd love to see more photos of Akron but unless a forumer lives in said city, it's not always easy to get photos of said city.

In all fairness the last couple of Akron threads have not been shot by someone from Akron (Akronites?).

Thanks for welcoming me to the forum HBIC from the CLE! Love the name!

I am a Clevelander/Akronite, as well.

 

You are right about Montrose in reference to the extended Market St being over commercialized. I should have been more specific. The Montrose, Bath, Copley, Fairlawn Area has an interesting mix of urban, country and suburban neighborhoods and some exciting new corporate parks with awesome glass and brick architecture. The hills surrounding Montrose are full of resteraunts, hotels and condos and offer the area some really nice natural landscaping for great pictures.

 

Merriman Valley is the location of Sand Run Park which would offer nature lovers some great shots within an urban setting. It is also the location of some awesome old school mansions and Tudor Style Homes. It also has some interesting South American Architecture. The Woods are located off Merriman Road, which is a subdivision full of contemporary California Style Homes on big hills and in wooded settings. Merriman Valley is surrounded by hills and pictures from the top of any of them would show a valley view of a bustling city.

 

As for the Indian on Market St.; A good photographer could stretch 2 to 3 shots out of that indian.  :angel:And I was just giving one example. My point was that there are quite a few statues and city artworks around town as well as beautiful flowerbeds and landscapes thanks to an organization called Keep Akron Beautiful.

 

The Y Bridge is a favorite "Self Kill Spot". As long as you don't get overly depressed or dizzy while you are on it, you could shoot the valley with the streams and brand new housing developments woven into the trees. You could also shoot the Rt. 8 Bridge from a distance.

 

I have also noticed that when you enter downtown from off of Howard Hill, you get the most awesome look of Akron's skyline. I think it is a better look than probably any other viewpoint. It actually looks like a big city skyline.

 

Florida Guy,

 

You are right. That is why I'm begging for some Akronites to to come forward and represent! I am now living in Winston-Salem, NC. I have been here 10 months and have managed to get downsized already. The mortgage industry woes are to blame. That is why I have time to respond in the middle of the day. I may get out and get some shots of this area soon, if anyone is interested.

or how about some pics of and off of The Y Bridge

 

:-D :-D :-D sorry couldn't resist!! (inks, bridge thread)

Master - I guess FairlaMontCopley has some nice areas as far as natural beauty but I find nothing exciting about corporate office parks - especially their architecture.

 

Now Sand Run is absolutely gorgeous, as are the homes on Merriman and the Woods (I've been to a few parties in that 'hood - something tells me we might know some of the same people), and even the more modest homes as you get over by Castle Boulevard. I just don't find the area around Weathervane (the heart of "the Valley") to be particularly interesting aside from the setting. Sure, the hills around it are great but the built environment aside from the small cluster by Weathervane Theatre is mostly car-centric strip plazas and run-of-the-mill apartments and a patch of blah-zay ranch homes (i.e. Barcelona Drive, etc.). Another big reason there aren't a lot of shots of neighborhoods is that many photographers (myself included) tend to get the "evil eye" for snapping pics of private residences.

 

Btw, have you checked out the photos in the city-specific sections in the main site? I ask because there are a few shots like those you've requested. Apologies to inkaelin for piggybacking on his thread :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know what to say Master. If I were UncleRando, I'd say something like "A wise man once told me that if you want something done right, do it yourself." But I'm not.

 

Actually, I was back in Akron in December and grabbed some neighborhood shots, mostly North Hill, Middlebury, Goodyear Heights, and Highland Square. I will most likely return at some point and do other neighborhoods, but I'm not the type of photographer who tries to capture city life, I do it when I have time. This is why the above photos are from a Sunday morning last August.

Thanks inkaelin, I do plan to do it myself next time I'm up that way.

 

Actually, those were some really fresh shots of Akron, unlike any that I've seen posted yet. They show that there is more to Akron than those same tired old shots of the same downtown buildings. Nice neighborhod and skyline shots and Hay....! You got a couple Y-Bridge Shots. Can't wait until you are able to post some more.

A tear comes out of my left eye - Beautiful.!!!.

 

Its going to really perk up around 2012 after the U/A Stadium is done and the Goodyear area starts booming. Plus theres other key downtown developments that will be going up as well. I really hope they can attract good restaurants to Akron in the near future such as Hooters, and a Dave & Busters would really be nice. I'm not a fan of going out to Montrose or Chapel Hill all the time to eat out.

Hopefully those jerks at Firestone don't snake us again. I don't see why they can't leave one operation in the former Rubber Capitol of The World. We have the trained work force and the area is trying to get a head of steam going. I'm sure the city and state will offer them some incentive. I really believe that Akron is poised for a big upswing. The national economy is holding it back right now.