One casualty may be the small century homes between the campus and downtown. As the campus starts to expand in that direct (the university is already buying up property), many of those homes will be demolished. I suspect's we'll also see more higher-density housing in that area. If I were a student, I'd want to live between the university and downtown with all the stuff to do down there now.

This is awesome. While viewing this thread, I had another tab with Kent on Google Maps. Not sure how old the satellite images are but WOW. Awesome development.

Sure is. Here's an article worth reading, along with a map of the downtown developments as built and as envisioned in late-2009. A lot has happened in just 2+ years since (BTW, the map has Erie Street mis-labeled as East Main Street -- Main is actually one block north).....

 

ARTICLE:

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/11/downtown_kent_ohio_rising_phoe.html

 

MAP/GRAPHIC:

http://media.cleveland.com/metro/photo/29cgkentjpg-df7600c379147c5d.jpg

I really to stop down there sometime; I probably wouldn't recognize downtown but that's a good thing (it was pretty frumpy during my years at Kent).

Looks good.  Great to see the town rebounding--with help from the school and local businesses. 

I really to stop down there sometime; I probably wouldn't recognize downtown but that's a good thing (it was pretty frumpy during my years at Kent).

 

Main Street still looks the same, except for Acorn Alley. When you get south of Main Street, that's where just about everything that you knew is gone, and much of it needed to go.

 

I also have not gone east of this area to look at all of the home demolitions for the Esplanade extension, shown in the graphic for which I posted the link above.

To follow up on my original posting that appeared in the Ohio photos section......

 

Here are some construction updates photographed on February 17 during The Winter That Wasn't. I did not see any demolitions for the extension of the Esplanade from the KSU campus into downtown. Not sure when that will start.

 

Anyway, here are some more photos of the work happening downtown:

 

 

Phase Two of Acorn Alley, looking north along Depeyster from Haymaker......

 

 

 

Looking in the opposition direction from Acorn Alley......

 

 

 

Looking east from Depeyster at the site of the future PARTA Gateway Center.....

 

 

 

Ditto, although this is getting more of a view of where the KSU downtown conference center and hotel will go.....

 

 

 

Ametek's new home, as seen from Depeyster and Haymaker.....

 

 

 

Not much visible progress on Ametek since my last visit a month ago.....

 

 

 

But there is more noticeable progress on the Davey Tree HQ which has most of its insulation up.....

 

 

 

Along South Water Street, looking south.....

 

 

 

And a little farther south.....

 

 

 

One block west of Water Street is the former Erie Depot, now the Pufferbelly with the Kent Chamber of Commerce and the Kent Historical Society (which owns the depot) on the second floor. Of course, if I had my way, I'd be running commuter trains from here to downtown Akron and UofA on rebuilt tracks which are already owned by Akron Metro RTA! :-D

 

KJP, thanks for the pictures of all the Kent progress.  As a KSU alum it makes me happy to see all the progress in the city.  Also, love the idea to run a commuter train between Kent and UofA. If I am not mistaken those tracks cut right through Cuyahoga Falls and a stop in downtown Falls would be a great addition.

KJP, thanks for the pictures of all the Kent progress.  As a KSU alum it makes me happy to see all the progress in the city.  Also, love the idea to run a commuter train between Kent and UofA. If I am not mistaken those tracks cut right through Cuyahoga Falls and a stop in downtown Falls would be a great addition.

 

The Kent-Akron right of way owned by Akron Metro RTA goes through Tallmadge. Another right of way owned by RTA goes from Akron to Hudson via Cuyahoga Falls, and parallels CSX from Akron-Cuyahoga Falls. The Kent-Akron line you're thinking of does go through Cuyahoga Falls but is owned by CSX. It is already busy with freight traffic and will get busier when the National Gateway project to provide double-stack clearances is done by the end of this year. Probably not a good route for commuter trains. For more discussion on Akron-area commuter rail, go to.....

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,11978.0.html

 

Thanks for the comments on the Kent development.

Kent could create ‘entertainment district’ to allow more liquor permits

 

By Paula Schleis

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

KENT: Kent doesn’t have enough liquor licenses.

 

That declaration might raise eyebrows among those who know the college town’s reputation for bars. But officials say the success of a $100 million downtown makeover also hinges on attracting high-quality restaurants that want to serve alcohol.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/kent-could-create-entertainment-district-to-allow-more-liquor-permits-1.267783

This article tries to walk the line between preservation and demolition to help out a city.

 

Kent’s downtown makeover seeks to blend present with past

By Paula Schleis

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/kent-s-downtown-makeover-seeks-to-blend-present-with-past-1.272927

 

 

KENT: More than a dozen old buildings have fallen. Others have a date with the wrecking ball. In their place, entire new downtown blocks are rising from the dust.

 

In a way, the city hopes nobody notices.

 

Kent doesn’t want to lose its historic ambience as it goes through a $100 million makeover.

 

“I’ve been to downtowns where it looks like an entire block was just dropped in,” Economic Development Director Dan Smith said.

 

So project leaders repeatedly have chanted the mantra, “The best of the old with the best of the new,” to show their focus on preserving the past in the face of wholesale change.

 

Their choice is neither easy nor cheap.

 

Good article. I can't wait to see the final product of the four major buildings underway, or how the esplanade will link them with the campus.

I think they are taking out e. erie street for it.  I assume they will demo a couple houses between erie and the fashion museum (where the Esplanade ends now)

I think they are taking out e. erie street for it.  I assume they will demo a couple houses between erie and the fashion museum (where the Esplanade ends now)

 

Correct. Here is an old map from page 2 of this thread.....

 

http://media.cleveland.com/metro/photo/29cgkentjpg-df7600c379147c5d.jpg

For a moment I was working on the PARTA Kent Central Gateway. Will be a nice addition when/if it ever gets finished (but that's another story) I was there last week and they had knocked down homes that were on Erie Street. The dirt they're moving out of the hill to build the multi-modal center is being used to build a foundation for the esplanade.

I wondered when they were going to knock down the houses. I had passed through Kent about a month ago and looked down on Erie Street west of South Lincoln to Haymaker and didn't see any evidence that demos were about to begin.

Kent questions ramifications of illegal immigrants on contracting site

 

By Paula Schleis

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

KENT: Some City Council members had a lot of questions after learning 23 illegal immigrants were among construction workers building The Province in Kent, a planned 596-bed student housing complex on South Lincoln Street.

 

How did the workers come to be on that job? What wages were they making? Was the city getting its share of income tax? Immigration status aside, were they even qualified in their field?

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/kent-questions-ramifications-of-illegal-immigrants-on-contracting-site-1.282171

KENT: Some City Council members had a lot of questions after learning 23 illegal immigrants were among construction workers building The Province in Kent, a planned 596-bed student housing complex on South Lincoln Street.

 

 

Where on South Lincoln? I used to lived on South Lincoln, across from Dartmouth Place.

 

And if they're already building this, then it's no longer planned.

 

EDIT: never mind. I just found a map at their website. This is being built where there was a large complex of greenhouses which were in business when I went to school at Kent, but closed shortly thereafter and have been vacant ever since. I lived about 300 feet south of this....

 

KENT: Some City Council members had a lot of questions after learning 23 illegal immigrants were among construction workers building The Province in Kent, a planned 596-bed student housing complex on South Lincoln Street.

 

 

Where on South Lincoln? I used to lived on South Lincoln, across from Dartmouth Place.

 

And if they're already building this, then it's no longer planned.

 

EDIT: never mind. I just found a map at their website. This is being built where there was a large complex of greenhouses which were in business when I went to school at Kent, but closed shortly thereafter and have been vacant ever since. I lived about 300 feet south of this....

 

I used to live to the East in Eagles Landing, between the site and Michael Schwartz Center. It was just a big grass area when I lived there and there was a single story apartment complex.

 

Beacon First: KSU opens fashion school store

 

By Carol Biliczky

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

KENT: Fashionistas, a new store in downtown Kent, features designs by Kent State students, alums and faculty.

 

The fledgling Fashion School store offers clothing, jewelry and other accessories in a small, post-modern space suffused with gray and black.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/ksu-opens-fashion-school-store-1.284029

Medical college to update campus

 

By Carol Biliczky

Beacon Journal staff writer

Published: April 1, 2012 - 11:22 PM | Updated: April 2, 2012 - 09:41 AM

 

The Northeast Ohio Medical University is looking to invest about $130 million to update its Rootstown Township campus.

 

Officials have broken ground for a research and graduate education building and are planning Neomed’s first student apartments.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/medical-college-to-update-campus-1.288142

Kent State University begins work on $2.8 million 'student green'

By TIMOTHY MAGAW

2:50 pm, April 4, 2012

 

Kent State University has begun construction on a $2.8 million “student green” at the heart of its campus — the second phase of a larger project to overhaul what officials consider a “front door” to the university.

 

The new student green area will extend south from the recently renovated Risman Plaza outside the university's student center. The project will create a contiguous green space from the student center's plaza to Summit Street.

 

“This is the second phase of a project to create an attractive entrance to campus for our university family, university guests and prospective students considering enrollment at Kent State,” said Gregg Floyd, Kent State's senior vice president for finance and administration, in a news release.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20120404/FREE/120409917#

Surprised nobody caught this:

 

Posted: 03/28/2012

 

    * By: Mike Waterhouse, newsnet5.com

 

KENT, Ohio - A man from Barberton was killed in an industrial accident Tuesday in Portage County.

 

The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office said 49-year-old Russell Hirschfelt was working at a construction site on Erie Street in Kent. He was crushed between a backhoe and a stack of concrete slab at about 10:45 a.m.

 

Hirschfelt was taken to Akron City Hospital where he died several hours later.

 

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/oh_portage/worker-killed-after-being-crushed-at-kent-construction-site

 

Surprised nobody caught this:

 

 

We saw it, but not really the right place for it.

Kent State University begins work on $2.8 million 'student green'

By TIMOTHY MAGAW

2:50 pm, April 4, 2012

 

Kent State University has begun construction on a $2.8 million “student green” at the heart of its campus — the second phase of a larger project to overhaul what officials consider a “front door” to the university.

 

The new student green area will extend south from the recently renovated Risman Plaza outside the university's student center. The project will create a contiguous green space from the student center's plaza to Summit Street.

 

“This is the second phase of a project to create an attractive entrance to campus for our university family, university guests and prospective students considering enrollment at Kent State,” said Gregg Floyd, Kent State's senior vice president for finance and administration, in a news release.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20120404/FREE/120409917#

 

The best news from this is:

 

"A clock tower was proposed, but has been scrapped temporarily for lack of funds. Euclide said the clock tower will be built when the university can come up with the $1.5 million to pay for it."

 

also see:

http://www.ohio.com/news/local-news/ksu-begins-work-on-new-campus-entrance-1.291708

Surprised nobody caught this:

 

 

We saw it, but not really the right place for it.

 

I thought it would be seeing as how the incident occurred at one of the Kent projects.

To me, the best part of the article states that $6 million in interior renovations have started on the old hotel, which Burbick is calling Acorn Corner, where Buffalo Wild Wings will relocate on the ground floor and contribute $1 million to renovations....

 

Longtime Kent businessman Ron Burbick primes the development pump

By TIMOTHY MAGAW

4:30 am, April 9, 2012

 

When Ronald Burbick retired 13 years ago from Schneller Inc., a maker of aircraft laminates in Kent, he envisioned a relaxing retirement spent primarily on the golf course. Instead, he ignited a wave of development in downtown Kent that had been just a pipedream of many.

 

Jaded by a lack of action by the city and other developers to overhaul Kent's aging business district, which had come to be dominated by bars and tattoo parlors, Mr. Burbick invested a chunk — make that a large chunk, since it's about $18 million so far — of his own fortune into transforming the small downtown area that had seen little change for decades.

 

Although he has worked in the Kent area for years, Mr. Burbick, 66, says he was a relative unknown in the city until he opened his checkbook to help overhaul the downtown.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20120409/SUB1/304099986

Kent hotel project gets nearly $1M in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits

Record-Courier Staff Report

June 27, 2012

 

The Ohio Department of Development has awarded nearly $1 million in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits to the Franklin Hotel in Kent.

 

The department announced Tuesday that $35.8 million in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits was awarded to 18 owners planning to rehabilitate 44 historic buildings in 10 communities across the state. The projects are expected to leverage more than $237.5 million in private investments.

 

The Franklin Hotel, at 176 E. Main St. in Kent, is owned by developer Ron Burbick, who is planning a renovation of the building totaling $5.8 million. The project will receive $955,750.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/5199449

Wow, that's good news. I thought the whole building was gutted however, so they must have been awarded it to maintain the exterior.

Kent architectural panel rejects Portage County courthouse design

 

Thomas Gallick

July 18, 2012

 

Portage County’s plan to build a new courthouse on East Main Street in Kent hit a snag Tuesday when Kent’s Architectural Review Board denied a certificate of appropriateness for the new Portage County Municipal Court.

 

The panel took issue with the location of the lone entrance to the building, situated on the southeast corner, as well as the amount of parking on the site, the current home of Jimmy John’s sandwich shop at 303 E. Main St. The board, appointed by Kent City Council, decides whether buildings planned for downtown Kent are compatible with their surroundings.

 

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/5203928

 

I think it looks beautiful. Perhaps the Kent review board thought the entrance's location was paying too much homage to Ravenna than to Kent! Knowing the long-standing pissing match between the two cities, I wouldn't be surprised if this was at the root of their concerns. As for the parking, this facility is on a major bus line. It doesn't need the full amount of parking required under the code.

I think it looks beautiful. Perhaps the Kent review board thought the entrance's location was paying too much homage to Ravenna than to Kent! Knowing the long-standing pissing match between the two cities, I wouldn't be surprised if this was at the root of their concerns. As for the parking, this facility is on a major bus line. It doesn't need the full amount of parking required under the code.

 

Beautiful wouldn't be a word I would use, but to each their own.

I think it's actually facing downtown. It said it's facing Jimmy John's, which would be downtown.

The building is owned by Portage County, in which the seat (offices) are in Ravenna.

It's exactly the kind of municipal courthouse building I would expect to see from the early 20th century. And there isn't much architecture I dislike from that era.

 

The article said the entrance faces east, toward KSU and Ravenna.

 

I'm aware of where the county is seated. I'm also aware of the Kent-Ravenna rivalry. And that Kent gets to decide the land use issues involving this structure.

It's exactly the kind of municipal courthouse building I would expect to see from the early 20th century. And there isn't much architecture I dislike from that era.

 

The article said the entrance faces east, toward KSU and Ravenna.

 

I'm aware of where the county is seated. I'm also aware of the Kent-Ravenna rivalry. And that Kent gets to decide the land use issues involving this structure.

 

Fair enough. I'm just of the opinion that designs are based off of construction capabilities and materials. In the early 1900's brick and stone were more durable and accessible than materials that we have today. With what we know and have the ability to do now, it seems odd to design things to old standards, especially when the quality and craftsmanship isn't what it used to be.

 

Check out some of the new federal courthouses:

 

Wayne Lyman Morse

U.S. Courthouse, Eugene, Oregon

http://morphopedia.com/projects/wayne-lyman-morse-united-states-courthou

 

U.S. Courthouse, Springfield, Massachusetts

http://www.msafdie.com/#/projects/unitedstatesfederalcourthouse_springfield

 

U.S. Courthouse, Alpine, Texas

http://www.pspaec.com/index.php/portfolio-categories/civic-government/82-u-s-district-courthouse-in-alpine-texas

 

U.S. Courthouse, Austin, Texas

http://msmearch.com/type/government-and-civic/united-states-courthouse-austin-texas

 

 

 

Compared to the old building (whose traffic court I visited a couple times when I was young and stupid) it looks amazing.

Compared to the old building (whose traffic court I visited a couple times when I was young and stupid) it looks amazing.

 

That was actually an old post office. It did the job until the University started growing and they had an influx of underage drinking fines.

It did the job until the University started growing and they had an influx of underage drinking fines.

 

The university started growing after World War II, growing from just 2,700 students before WWII in 1940 (and below 1,000 during the war), to 6,000 students in 1955, and then to 21,000 by 1970. The growth in the 40 years since then has been much slower, to about 28,000 at the Kent campus today.

http://www.kent.edu/about/history/ksutimeline.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_University.

I was going to say I didn't think the University has grown that much in the last 20 years, and there was certainly plenty of underage and public drinking going on then too. (I went to Akron but most of my friends and a couple girlfriends went to Kent.)

 

I do really like the design though, I hope they don't have to change it too much to get Kent to approve.

The university started growing after World War II, growing from just 2,700 students before WWII in 1940 (and below 1,000 during the war), to 6,000 students in 1955, and then to 21,000 by 1970. The growth in the 40 years since then has been much slower, to about 28,000 at the Kent campus today.

http://www.kent.edu/about/history/ksutimeline.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_University.

 

While I appreciate the facts, that doesn't tell the story of the City police shifting their focus to meaningless fines along with joining forces with the University police who can no go off campus.

 

Work begins to connect Kent and university

 

By Paula Schleis

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

KENT: Kent State University and city officials have talked about connecting downtown to the campus for at least 20 years.

 

That dream is finally being realized, as work got under way this week on the Esplanade, a wide pedestrian walk meant to draw students and faculty to dozens of shops and restaurants that are part of downtown’s $100 million makeover.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/work-begins-to-connect-kent-and-university-1.326129

Center entrance agreed upon for new Portage County Municipal Courthouse in Kent

 

By Kyle McDonald | Staff Writer

 

All the hurdles have been cleared to prepare site work for the new Portage County Municipal Courthouse at 303 E. Main St. in Kent.

 

“The judges and commissioners, as of (Tuesday) morning, have signed off, including the central doorway,” Kent Economic Development Director Dan Smith told Kent Planning Commission during a site plan review Tuesday night. “We think they were very accommodating to everything that was asked for.”

 

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/5210885

 

Some interesting news for the old Kent Hotel:

 

The building space has been 100% committed. The basement will have retail operations

including a new independent bookstore. There will also be some storage for mechanicals

in the basement. The first floor and mezzanine will include a large Buffalo Wild Wings

restaurant who has been a major contributor in the restoration of the building. The Kent

Chamber of Commerce and Marathon Financial will be on the third floor. Veterans’

Transitional housing will have five apartments that will be rented out and administered

through Family Community Services. There will be two or three luxury apartments on the

fifth floor. He said they are almost 100% financed except for a $ 0.5 Million shortfall.

The State considers them 100% financed based on the project’s scoring of 82. Currently

it is the State’s favorite project. He said it has officially been designated at the federal as

well as local level as an historical structure. He said it is going to be a lot of work but

hopes to be opened and occupied by late November.

 

http://www.kentohio.org/boards/2012/PC05152012.pdf

I haven't been in Kent in months. I need to get back there to do an "inspection" to get up to date.

Garrettsville: Irwin Hardware Building Restored

 

Instead of a gaping hole in the center of town, Garrettsville’s Irwin Hardware building was able to be restored, adding new businesses and revenue while keeping the old style architecture of downtown.

 

http://recordpub.com/news/article/5219419

Garrettsville: New Grocery (Finally) Coming

 

Garfield Plaza at the west end of Garrettsville has been a quiet place since the Giant Eagle grocery store closed November 29, 2008.  But that’s about to change.  Alliance Foods out of Coldwater Michigan has contracted with owners Richard and Karen Wanders to lease the vacant grocery store space and open a Save-A-Lot Food Store.

 

http://weeklyvillager.com/2012/08/23/its-official-save-a-lot-food-store-finally-coming-to-garrettsville/

I love Garrettsville. I'd love it even more if the railroad line through town was still operational, serving the industrial district on the west side, and running the commuter trains between Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Cleveland. Who knows, maybe it will come back to serve the gas wells and industries popping up around NE Ohio? Stranger things are happening elsewhere in the region....

I love Garrettsville. I'd love it even more if the railroad line through town was still operational, serving the industrial district on the west side, and running the commuter trains between Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Cleveland. Who knows, maybe it will come back to serve the gas wells and industries popping up around NE Ohio? Stranger things are happening elsewhere in the region....

I wouldn't get my hopes up on that. Garrettsville has been filling up with mcmansions the last decade or so and I don't see those residents willing to listen to a train whistle even occasionally.

It's either that or thousands of daily trucks coming through on SR82 and SR88. FYI railroads are one of the few private corporations have eminent domain power under federal law. Fortunately only one demolition is definitely needed -- the IGA gas station on SR82. And train whistles aren't needed where supplementary safety measures are provided at grade crossings, sufficient to earn a Quiet Zone designation from the Federal Railroad Administration.

Apartment complex, new restaurant planned for Kent

 

By Paula Schleis

Beacon Journal staff writer

Published: December 8, 2012 - 11:12 PM | Updated: December 9, 2012 - 10:59 AM

 

Downtown Kent, which has been winding down its $100 million makeover, will probably start up the earthmovers again in the next couple of months.

 

A development officials refer to as “Building C” has one more paper hurdle before construction begins on the five-story structure which will feature 32 apartments and a new Bricco restaurant.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local-news/apartment-complex-new-restaurant-planned-for-kent-1.356564

 

That sure is purdy looking!

For a new build it's a nice looking building.  I don't live in Kent but the development out there is exciting - I hope the more of an urban environment is created in the area the more demand it will bring to all of Northeast Ohio.

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.