December 11, 201212 yr Looks pretty "off the shelf" to me. Wait until the proposals for the new College of Architecture come out. Then we will see some creativity. Meh, I expect strange and out of place when architecture students get involved. Mostly because they are trying to get a name for themselves. I agree it looks off the shelf, but it's a simple enough design that it shouldn't age poorly. It fits the surrounding area while still having a touch of class.
December 11, 201212 yr I think dynamism is more important than the architecture. They are doing a pretty good job in creating a bustling area.
December 11, 201212 yr Looks pretty "off the shelf" to me. Wait until the proposals for the new College of Architecture come out. Then we will see some creativity. I tend to expect modernistic bunkers from Ohio developers, especially in small towns. Thankfully this design is more utilitarian and urbane at the same time. I think it will fit in with its historic small-town downtown surroundings with a modern angle and add some sidewalk activity. For Portage County, those things are truly out of character. Architecturally, the rest of the county seems to be entering the 1970s or maybe the 80s for the more progressive locales.... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 12, 201212 yr Looks pretty "off the shelf" to me. Wait until the proposals for the new College of Architecture come out. Then we will see some creativity. I tend to expect modernistic bunkers from Ohio developers, especially in small towns. Thankfully this design is more utilitarian and urbane at the same time. I think it will fit in with its historic small-town downtown surroundings with a modern angle and add some sidewalk activity. For Portage County, those things are truly out of character. Architecturally, the rest of the county seems to be entering the 1970s or maybe the 80s for the more progressive locales.... You think it's that advanced? I'd say they're more on the way to the 50s or 60s.
December 12, 201212 yr Author Looks pretty "off the shelf" to me. Wait until the proposals for the new College of Architecture come out. Then we will see some creativity. Meh, I expect strange and out of place when architecture students get involved. Mostly because they are trying to get a name for themselves. I agree it looks off the shelf, but it's a simple enough design that it shouldn't age poorly. It fits the surrounding area while still having a touch of class. It's not being designed by the students. I tend to expect modernistic bunkers from Ohio developers, especially in small towns. Thankfully this design is more utilitarian and urbane at the same time. I think it will fit in with its historic small-town downtown surroundings with a modern angle and add some sidewalk activity. For Portage County, those things are truly out of character. Architecturally, the rest of the county seems to be entering the 1970s or maybe the 80s for the more progressive locales.... Ha, that's true. A look at the design for the new courthouse is all you need to see.
December 23, 201212 yr Welcome back to downtown Kent, where construction has wrapped up on the new corporate headquarters for Ametek and for Davey Tree, plus Acorn Alley I and II. Meanwhile construction has advanced far on the PARTA transit center and for the Kent State University Hotel & Conference Center. Redevelopment of the historic Franklin Hotel is proceeding. And we're looking forward to the new 32-unit apartment "Building C" with a Bricco restaurant on the ground floor. What Kent is doing is nothing short of stunning to me, as someone who lived there 1985-89 and has continued to come back regularly since. And I didn't even get any photos of the massive Esplanade extension project that will ultimately unite the KSU campus to downtown including a new traffic calming feature on the Route 59 bypass where the Esplanade will cross it. Anyway, picture time (all shot today 12-22-12). People visiting the first major redevelopment aspect of downtown Kent, Acorn Alley, that showed that investing in downtown Kent wasn't so crazy after all. There are no retail vacancies in the retail portion which also has offices above. I do not know how the office occupancy is faring.... Walking Acorn Alley where it opens open in a plaza. The Franklin Hotel, now under renovation with apartments and a ground floor restaurant, is seen behind the light pole and direction-finder feature.... When you look to the right at the plaza off Acorn Alley, you see the new PARTA transit center and parking deck. The Esplanade will extend east from there to the KSU campus and its 30-some-thousand students.... Glad to see the people visiting the Alley, even as most students have gone home for holiday break.... That's Urban Ohioan MarkyMark48 at the bottom, whom I went to school with at Kent more than 20 years ago.... Peds.... A throwback storefront in a 21st-century development. This shop is run by students, and sells some funky international items, including foreign-language newspapers and international foods, like octopus-flavored potato chips.... Outside Erie Street's entrance to Acorn Alley, looking east toward the PARTA center and the KSU hotel & conference center (seen at far right).... Looking in the opposite direction and across Erie Street. This is Ametek's new headquarters with all ground-floor retail spaces filled. It's as if this wasn't a hard-sell for retailers, like they were waiting for something like this to come to Kent.... Ametek's entrance.... Full view of the Ametek building.... Looking at the KSU Hotel and Conference Center from Erie Street. That open space behind the silver car is where the 32-unit apartment "Building C" will rise in 2013..... Last but not least, here's the Davey Tree headquarters on South Water Street, looking south toward the SR 59 bypass... Hope you enjoyed this visit to the renewed and growing downtown Kent!! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 23, 201212 yr Wow, first thanks for some great photos. Second, as a 2008 graduate from KSU, it is truly amazing that this is downtown Kent. I left Kent was some great memories of downtown Kent, but even just 4 years ago it looked nothing like this.
December 24, 201212 yr I live just a short distance from downtown Kent. It is great to see all of the activity. I am concerned about how well the businesses will do when 25k+ students take a summer hiatus from town.
December 25, 201212 yr Instead of the lull period for the retail and restaurant world which is typically during the wintertime, it will be during the summer. I'm certain the businesses in the Downtown have or will make preparation for this time of year. Also, do not discount people in the surrounding areas coming into town to see the new places and the not so "just the same old" Kent. In addition, there are events going on in Kent during the summer and do not forget the many recreational and leisure dollars that occur in the summer.
December 28, 201212 yr Author Constructing ‘College Town’ New Fairmount Properties mixed-use development furthers downtown Kent’s dramatic revival http://www.epro2.com/publication/?i=138919&p=47 http://www.propertiesmag.com/ Brimfield’s police department nearly completed By Paula Schleis Beacon Journal staff writer The Brimfield Township Police Department, which has been working out of a former auto body shop for the past 20 years, is nearing the end of a $1.46 million renovation of its headquarters on Tallmadge Road. Police Chief David Oliver quipped that the old station was like “having 12 hamsters in a shoebox.” http://www.ohio.com/news/local/brimfield-s-police-department-nearly-completed-1.360889
December 29, 201212 yr You guys will probably appreciate this. I asked these guys to do a before and after of downtown kent and they actually did! From Aerial Aspect Photography http://www.facebook.com/aerialaspect http://www.aerialaspectphoto.com/ Kent in 2010 Kent in 2012 http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151310881569929.492542.76228679928&type=3
December 29, 201212 yr That's amazing, thanks! I'm gonna be in town next weekend for a few days, and a stop by Kent is on the agenda.
December 31, 201212 yr Great shot and perfect angle to catch most of the changes. Also keep watch on the area to the right edge of the aerials shown above, where the Esplanade will cross Haymaker (SR59). Next, I think you will see some new apartment buildings rise in between the campus and downtown along the Esplanade which will mean the loss of a number of historic homes. Sadly, many homes in that have not been maintained very well. So Whipjacka, do your friends normally take photo requests?? If so..... :) EDIT: note also that there's one more building to rise in that setting -- a little bit right of center in this northward-looking view. That's where the new apartment building will rise at the square open space at the southeast corner of Erie (left-right street) and Depeyster (top-bottom street). Oh, and isn't that the new municipal court building starting to rise on Main Street in the far upper-right corner? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 17, 201312 yr Author Kent City Council continues talks about new police station By Marchae Grair Ohio.com correspondent “The land was turned over to the city at no cost,” Kuhar said, citing cost and the amount of land at the Mogadore lot as the primary reasons for his motion for the location. He said the land was tested and cleared for all environmental issues, so the cost would also be less than areas that needed heavier inspection. The consideration will stand, following a passing motion of 7-2, with Roger Sidoti and Heidi Shaffer dissenting. Shaffer believes the location at 800 Mogadore Road should be strictly reserved for industrial buildings or other businesses that will bring more jobs to Kent. http://kent.ohio.com/news/kent-city-council-continues-talks-about-new-police-station-1.365806
January 24, 201312 yr OK EYED FOR KENT BUILDING TO BE TALLER THAN ZONING CODE ALLOWS record-courier Staff Report Published: January 24, 2013 4:00AM Fairmount Properties will ask Kent's Board of Zoning Appeals to allow a planned apartment and restaurant building to be slightly taller than the zoning code allows in downtown Kent. The Cleveland-based developer behind two completed mixed-use buildings in downtown Kent will ask the board for a 2-foot-3-inch height variance for its third building, which will house the Italian-themed restaurant Bricco on its first floor and 32 apartments on the upper four floors. The board meets at 7 p.m. Monday. The proposed building will be located at the southwest corner of South DePeyster and East Erie streets, directly east of the completed Fairmount buildings on East Erie Street and South Water Street, which are anchored by offices for Ametek and Davey Resource Group. READ MORE AT: http://www.recordpub.com/news%20local/2013/01/24/ok-eyed-for-kent-building-to-be-taller-than-zoning-code-allows#.UQFIMozCFiA.email "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 25, 201312 yr New electronic sign in downtown Kent promotes city and KSU messages http://www.ohio.com/news/local/new-electronic-sign-in-downtown-kent-promotes-city-and-ksu-messages-1.367736?localLinksEnabled=false KENT: A colorful electronic message board the city and Kent State University had talked about installing for years finally lit up this month. The ground-level sign — 80 inches by 168 inches — greets motorists and pedestrians at Haymaker Parkway and Water Street, right at the southwestern tip of downtown’s ongoing $100 million makeover.
August 14, 201311 yr Author snapped some photos today: Esplanade: New Courthouse (under construction): Coming down Depeyster from Main St.: Some townhouses on S. Lincolns St.:
August 15, 201311 yr Thanks! There's even more impressive townhomes on South Lincoln where several large greenhouses and a horse farm was when I was at Kent in the 80s. I lived at Oak Haven Condos, 934 South Lincoln, just down the street from them for four years, close enough to hear the horses! Great memories. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 18, 201311 yr http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2013/09/camp_ravenna_under_considerati.html WASHINGTON, D.C. - Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center is under consideration to be a missile defense system facility that would house rockets designed shoot down nuclear missiles that might be aimed at the United States, the U.S. Defense Department says. This could spur massive development for a lot of reasons. Personnel living there, aerospace suppliers, etc....
September 18, 201311 yr Aerospace industry is part of the reason Southern California grew so prosperous in the 1970s and 80s. Granted this would be on a much smaller scale its still great (potentially) for the region.
September 18, 201311 yr Aerospace industry is part of the reason Southern California grew so prosperous in the 1970s and 80s. Granted this would be on a much smaller scale its still great (potentially) for the region. It sounds like it would be on a pretty large scale, at most there will be five in the US. This area already does a lot of aerospace, and assembled missiles don't always travel well. Keep in mind that anything that can take out ballistic missiles can almost by definition hit falling space junk, including meteors.
September 21, 201311 yr "@ksunews: Check out "Downtown Kent thriving thanks to city-university partnership" story via @wkyc. http://t.co/7dw3aTsrvA" "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 24, 201311 yr Author State gives Crain Avenue Bridge project $421,000, cites delays By Marc Kovac | R-C Capital Bureau Published: September 24, 2013 4:00AM COLUMBUS -- The state Controlling Board agreed to tack another $421,000 onto the bill for a new Kent bridge, citing delays in the project that weren't the contractor's fault. The lawmaker panel signed off on a competitive selection waiver on a contract with Beaver Excavating of Canton, which handled the Crain Avenue Bridge project. http://www.recordpub.com/news%20local/2013/09/24/state-gives-crain-avenue-bridge-project-421-000-cites-delays Kent Sherman House moved to new home By Kyle McDonald | Staff Writer Published: September 22, 2013 4:00AM Saturday's rain couldn't keep the Kent Wells Sherman House from making its way through downtown Kent from a temporary spot on College Avenue to its final home on North Water Street. After crossing Haymaker Parkway, Stein House Movers inched the 1850s Greek revival house along Erie Street, past its original location at Erie and Water streets, and north through the intersection with Main Street to 247 N. Water St., where it will permanently be located. http://www.recordpub.com/news%20local/2013/09/22/kent-sherman-house-moved-to-new-home
October 7, 201311 yr Author NEOMED marks anniversary with new facilities By Carol Biliczky Beacon Journal staff writer Published: October 6, 2013 - 11:09 PM | Updated: October 7, 2013 - 07:52 AM ROOTSTOWN TWP.: The Northeast Ohio Medical University is marking its 40th anniversary with two new buildings — the first major additions to the rural campus since its inception. Officials say the $37 million housing project and a $45 million research and graduate education facility will modernize and enhance the campus. http://www.ohio.com/news/local/neomed-marks-anniversary-with-new-facilities-1.434800
November 5, 201311 yr Author Dunkin’ Donuts opens today in Kent; construction has begun for new Falls location on State Road By Betty Lin-Fisher Beacon Journal business writer Six years ago today, Ken Blum and his partners opened their first Dunkin’ Donuts store on Graham Road in Cuyahoga Falls. Today, Blum opens his 15th store, this one in Kent on Main Street. He has another under construction in Cuyahoga Falls and two more in Broadview Heights and Parma. http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/dunkin-donuts-opens-today-in-kent-construction-has-begun-for-new-falls-location-on-state-road-1.442374
January 23, 201411 yr I was back in Kent yesterday and took a few pics. I was surprised there were as many people walking around Acorn Alley despite the 10-degree temps. I didn't take out my phone camera until I got back into the car, however. This is the Franklin Hotel in downtown Kent, which was recently renovated into apartments and a ground-floor restaurant. When I went to KSU in the 80s, this was the site of a popular nightclub called The Townhouse.... To show how much downtown Kent has changed, the only building in this scene that existed before 2009 is the red brick Franklin Hotel in the distance. Now this section is the site of a conference center, hotel, transit center, parking deck, apartments, shops & cafes.... New conference center and hotel, plus a new Bricco restaurant topped by apartments at right -- part of $100 million worth of downtown Kent developments in the past five years.... And across Erie Street from the new hotel/conference center is the new PARTA Transit Center with multiple weekday buses to Akron, Cleveland (also has Sunday service), Ravenna, Hiram, Garrettsville and around Kent.... Here's a then-and-now comparison from October 2008 to August 2013 of the exact same location and angle thanks to Google Streetview.... 2008: 2013: "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 23, 201411 yr RIP Screwy Lewie's... And Filthy McNasty's. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 24, 201411 yr It's kind of funny that at that spot, you'll see what's been called "Google Lag". The aerial views show a much earlier stage of construction than the street views. Sort of the opposite of the Ford casting plant in Brookpark.
March 11, 201411 yr Author New Portage County courthouse almost ready to open; Kent considers what to do with old one By Paula Schleis Beacon Journal staff writer Published: March 9, 2014 - 08:48 PM KENT: The brand-new Portage County courthouse in Kent just needs a little spit and polish before it opens for business this spring. Crews recently were tacking down carpeting, sweeping floors, installing glass and fine-tuning other things in the 33,000-square-foot building. http://www.ohio.com/news/new-portage-county-courthouse-almost-ready-to-open-kent-considers-what-to-do-with-old-one-1.472001
March 23, 201411 yr Pictures of the horrible fire that struck historic downtown Garrettsville were moved to the Garrettsville photo thread: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,19765.0.html This forum's section is for threads on new developments (plans, projects, construction, rehab), like an historically accurate reconstruction of the block that was lost yesterday! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 18, 201411 yr Author Update: Volkswagen dealership takes step toward reality Streetsboro may seek lowered speed limit on Route 14 by Bob Gaetjens | Editor Published: April 10, 2014 11:11AM The Collection Auto Group’s planned Volkswagen dealership, which would be located on Route 14 about midway between Fifth-Third Bank and Great Lakes Hyundai in front of Shady Lake Apartments, took a step toward becoming a reality April 8. The Streetsboro Planning and Zoning Commission granted its approval to a site plan 7-0, subject to administrative review by Planning Director John Cieszkowski Jr. http://www.thegatewaynews.com/news%20local/2014/04/10/streetsboro-volkswagen-dealership-takes-step-toward-becoming-reality
June 11, 201411 yr Garrettsville: Historic Feed Mill the New Site of Revival on Main Street The blighted feed mill at the intersection of Main, Center and Water Streets is about to be transformed into a focal point of beauty, usefulness and historic pride. http://weeklyvillager.com/2014/05/27/historic-feed-mill-the-new-site-of-revival-on-main-street/
August 4, 201410 yr Love this - Kent State Architecture Students Redesign Garrettsville Following Downtown Fire http://t.co/NMKol6XlPT "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 18, 201510 yr Lots of new activity between KSU main campus and Downtown Kent. - New Police Station/City Admin. - KSU CAED Building - KSU Institutional Advancement Building - 200+ Apartment Building on location of current city administration center http://www.kent360.com/9754-city-admin-relocation.html
May 18, 201510 yr Where's that "Kent Housing Development" proposed to be located? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 18, 201510 yr /\ The city of Kent sold the city Administration headquarters at the corner of Depeyster and Summit. The buildings were to big for what the city needed, and they agreed to sell the site for 2.4 mil to Newbrook Partners. City agencies have been scrambling to find temporary office space. Streetview: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.150098,-81.356424,3a,75y,44.42h,84.73t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1saK8_MzZa6rXguJdqonPzFA!2e0?hl=en
May 18, 201510 yr Amazing. I may move back to Kent! :) "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 16, 20159 yr Small businesses help fuel Kent's revitalization November 14, 2015 UPDATED 41 MINUTES AGO By JEREMY NOBILE Mike Beder opened his first bar, Glory Days at the time, in a former deli in 2001 near the Star of the West Milling Co. flour mill in Kent. He moved elsewhere in downtown and changed the name to the Water Street Tavern a couple years later. “When I first started, it was really only the bars and a couple other places that had any sorts of customers and foot traffic,” Beder said. “There just wasn’t much to offer students to come downtown as a whole.” Kent’s downtown, however, has since undergone a remarkable $130 million revitalization project — a true public, private partnership — that’s transformed the central business district into a bustling, modern, Main Street hub. There are large, mixed-use complexes combining office, living and retail space, luxury apartments, new hotels and restaurants, a parking deck and bus garage and more than triple the total businesses. Today, streets are filled with shoppers. Bars and restaurants draw professionals young and old. Fresh blood is living in downtown proper. The city itself offers a true semblance of night life. MORE: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20151114/NEWS/151119893/small-businesses-help-fuel-kents-revitalization "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 24, 20159 yr New hope for rebuilding Garrettsville's 'Buckeye Block'. Senator Raises Hope for Rebuilding Garrettsville’s Buckeye Block Garrettsville – It helps to have friends in high places. The village of Garrettsville has a friend in Ohio Senator John Edlund (R-District 18), who plans to throw his weight behind state funding for new construction of the Buckeye Block Building on Main Street... http://weeklyvillager.com/senator-raises-hope-for-rebuilding-the-buckeye-block/
January 6, 20169 yr /\ The city of Kent sold the city Administration headquarters at the corner of Depeyster and Summit. The buildings were to big for what the city needed, and they agreed to sell the site for 2.4 mil to Newbrook Partners. City agencies have been scrambling to find temporary office space. Streetview: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.150098,-81.356424,3a,75y,44.42h,84.73t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1saK8_MzZa6rXguJdqonPzFA!2e0?hl=en The aboveStreetview picture is the "before" -- here's the "during" showing construction of the 200+ unit apartment building I shot today... But, wait, there's more! Houses are being demolished for the new police station at the southeast corner of South Depeyster and East Haymaker Parkway, looking south on Depeyster... Another view of the houses being demolished, looking north on Depeyster toward Haymaker... On the opposite corner of Depeyster and Haymaker appears to be another development site but I'm not familiar with what this might be... East of downtown on Erie Street/Esplanade is the new architecture school -- it's a major new building (hard to get the scale from this angle and my only other picture that did capture the scale was a lousy drive-by shooting) and will help unify downtown with the campus as much as the Esplanade will.... And a few other photos to round out the scene in downtown Kent today. Definitely not the downtown I used to frequent in my college days in the 80s! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 6, 20169 yr The development catty corner to the new Kent Police Station at Depeyster and Haymaker is a 5 story apartment building composed of ~50 "micro" units, with ground floor retail. An upscale pizza restaurant of sorts is rumored to be the ground floors primary tenant. http://www.avant220kent.com/about/
January 6, 20169 yr Re-fricken-markable... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 6, 20169 yr Author I'm not sure what the push is for "micro-apartments" in areas that aren't really dense. They would work in NYC and San Fran, but Kent and Columbus? Also, from what I'm seeing a micro-apartment is just a new term. These are 745 s.f.. I live in an apartment that is just over half that size and I just call it a boring old "apartment". These even have a private bedroom and walk-in closet. Look at some of the NYC plans for micro-apartments. Even the Columbus ones are more true to "micro".
January 6, 20169 yr Wow, they're calling something that's 745 square feet a micro-apartment? My condo is 493 square feet and I wouldn't even call that "micro." It's small, but it never feels cramped and makes smart use of its space. 745 square feet would feel gigantic if I were to move into a place that size.
January 7, 20169 yr Author Wow, they're calling something that's 745 square feet a micro-apartment? My condo is 493 square feet and I wouldn't even call that "micro." It's small, but it never feels cramped and makes smart use of its space. 745 square feet would feel gigantic if I were to move into a place that size. In digging further on their website, it looks like the only plan they are showing may actually be the largest apartment. Others look smaller, but they don't talk about size. But they are showing a 745 s.f. apt. and saying rent starts at $750, making me think $1 s.f. when it will probably be $2+ s.f. for the smaller layout.
February 7, 20169 yr First look: KSU's new architecture building is shaping up as a definite wow (photos) http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2016/02/ksus_new_architecture_building.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 7, 20169 yr Shaking my head at the few "brilliant" comments on Cleveland.com tonight calling the new KSU architecture building "ugly" and complaining about a NY architecture firm designing it. As a Kent graduate, I'm happy that the University is moving forward boldly - I think the building makes a statement - in a great way - that feels very 21st century, while still having some of the classic elements of a "hall of academia." The building is definitely in a strategic, commanding position as you approach the University from the campus. It will probably create quite a positive first impression for a lot of visiting seniors who are considering Kent. The town itself definitely has an energy right now - new buildings and momentum. Definite upgrade from what it was just a few years ago. Wish we had a little more dynamic vision happening at Cleveland State.
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