To my amazement I just found out that the Jillian's building was torn down.

How could this happen?

I know the place closed recently, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with that building. So much renovation went into there, I just don't get it. With so many crappy buildings in Akron, why are they tearing down perfectly good ones?

Seems like a really good place to put a new arena someday ...

That's part of the new retail/student apartment complex a developer is building. The whole block except the hi-rise is scheduled to be replaced and the old Howe house moved near the canal.

try a block north of there...

Jillians has been closed for at least a year now. I think a good chunk of the properties on the East side of Main Street in downtown are either gone or ready for demolition. I know that the bloks that contains the Hous of Hunan will be a spicer-village type apartment complex. The city seems committed to creating residential areas downtown to help spark some growth, and the University is the perfect candidate to provide the residents, with our housing being nearly full and demand for more growing constantly.

I'm thinking the Mayflower block would be the best place for an arena. It's across the street from Canal park, which would help create a sports district, like how Cleveland has the Prog and the Q next to each other. It's also across the street from the Polsky parking deck, so parking wouldn't be too much of a problem. I think this should be th next big project at UA, but we have to focus on the Info first, plus the surrounding dorms/shops.

personally i like where the jar is (not necessarily the building). it's nice and convenient to have all of the sport facilities in one area.

Boy, that YOU TUBE link thing would work well right now....

In a downtown/campus filled with vacant lots, you cannot convince me that tearing down a perfectly good building is a good idea.

Listen, I love that the UA is making great progress, but this decision by the city is just plain wrong.

UA has nothing to do with the project. It's a private developer who is going to lease the to students.