UA in the news

[GP2]

On 7/6/2026 at 8:28 PM, GP1 said:

Geez, I thought UofA buying Central Hower was a dumb idea ant the time. I'm glad they are unloading it. Cutting edge universities shouldn't buy outdated buildings that were once high schools. . It sends the wrong message. 

 

The people who bought it are morons. Akron needs real businesses, not another art studio. Akron needs rich professionals, not starving artists. 

https://signalakron.org/central-hower-high-school-to-be-sold-to-quaker-square-owners-akron-kyle-craven/

 

Central Hower should be torn down. Quaker Square should be torn down. Akron needs to sweep out the past and get modern buildings built and occupied. I was in Spartanburg SC today.  There were three sky cranes working three different construction projects. Spartanburg is a dump, but they a sweeping out the past and trying to move forward. Akron needs to do the same thing. 

 

 

Art is what attracts businesses and rich professionals to come to the area. Why would they choose to live in Akron, OH if they could live anywhere else that has shodilly made corporate slop offices? Every revitalization starts with good art to attract investment to the area. As for Quaker, this is an extremely unique building, and if someone with money wants to invest in it, why not? Beggars can't be choosers.

 

Places that retain their history and art (including architecture) are the places people want to visit. I've never gone to Europe and thought it would be much better if they had a bunch of boring rectangular office buildings with huge surface parking lots instead of all their beautiful old architecture.

 

Akron has some "good bones" along with some not good bones. Spartanburg was never a large(ish) town like Akron and simply seems to be riding the wave of momentum in Greenville and Charlotte. Good for them, but Akron does not have that luxury. Get rid of the art, and Akron has nothing much left to attract anyone. Let's spruce up the good bones into something productive and demo/redevelop the bad bones when there are attracted investors. This news should be very welcome to anyone who cares about UA and the city. If this art project fails, then so be it, but at least they're trying something to fill an empty building in the heart of the city.

[Zips1991]

On 7/6/2026 at 4:33 PM, Hilltopper said:

Interesting tidbits from the article.

 

"The athletics department will receive $22.3 million from the main operating budget over the next year, which is $500,000 less in general fund support compared with the past 12 months. It also must absorb roughly $200,000 in costs associated with its employees receiving the 2% salary increase."

 

How the reductions could impact the department isn’t yet known. Villers said if the department generates more revenue from ticket sales, game guarantees or other external sources, then the impact would be minimal.

 

 

"Funding for the athletics department has been a source of contention, particularly among faculty members who have pushed back on cuts to academics before reductions were made to athletics. The recent state performance audit also highlighted the athletics department as an area where the university should focus on reducing expenses and increasing revenue to reduce the department’s overreliance on the main operating budget.

The university has hired Huron Consulting Group to help develop a specific strategic plan for the department."

 

 

Honestly, a $500,000 reduction doesn't seem that bad to me. I know we're already not spending as much as others. But with a budget of over $22 million, $500,000 isn't going to make a massive difference.

[GP1]

2 hours ago, GP2 said:

 

Art is what attracts businesses and rich professionals to come to the area. Why would they choose to live in Akron, OH if they could live anywhere else that has shodilly made corporate slop offices? Every revitalization starts with good art to attract investment to the area. As for Quaker, this is an extremely unique building, and if someone with money wants to invest in it, why not? Beggars can't be choosers.

 

Places that retain their history and art (including architecture) are the places people want to visit. I've never gone to Europe and thought it would be much better if they had a bunch of boring rectangular office buildings with huge surface parking lots instead of all their beautiful old architecture.

 

Akron has some "good bones" along with some not good bones. Spartanburg was never a large(ish) town like Akron and simply seems to be riding the wave of momentum in Greenville and Charlotte. Good for them, but Akron does not have that luxury. Get rid of the art, and Akron has nothing much left to attract anyone. Let's spruce up the good bones into something productive and demo/redevelop the bad bones when there are attracted investors. This news should be very welcome to anyone who cares about UA and the city. If this art project fails, then so be it, but at least they're trying something to fill an empty building in the heart of the city.

Thank you Bob Ross. I'll have what you're having. 

[GP2]

11 hours ago, GP1 said:

Thank you Bob Ross. I'll have what you're having. 

I am merely you from the future after you’ve been properly medicated so you don’t feel compelled to spew an insane and/or pessimistic take on every single thread on this website.

[GP1]

1 hour ago, GP2 said:

I am merely you from the future after you’ve been properly medicated so you don’t feel compelled to spew an insane and/or pessimistic take on every single thread on this website.

Make that a double. 

[Blue & Gold]

 

[GP1]

EJ Thomas Hall is awesome. I should have taken advantage of going to events there more when I lived in Akron. 

[ZippyRulz]

Glad to see they are dressing up Bulger & Spanton. The preservationists should be elated the Polsky bldg. is being rehabbed and not removed (I doubt if we'll hear from them though).

 

[kreed5120]

On 7/31/2026 at 7:03 PM, Blue & Gold said:

 

 

I see pictures and captions, but no mention of specific work is being done. Did I miss it somewhere?

[Hilltopper]

2 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

I see pictures and captions, but no mention of specific work is being done. Did I miss it somewhere?

There was an actual article that listed all the projects and their status.

[kreed5120]

44 minutes ago, Hilltopper said:

There was an actual article that listed all the projects and their status.

 

Thanks, maybe it didn't display for me since I'm not subscribed.

 

I'm interested to hear what changes they have in store for EJ in particular. I usually try to hit up a play there each year as my fiancé enjoys them. It's closer and a fraction of the cost compared to playhouse square.

[Hilltopper]

8 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

Thanks, maybe it didn't display for me since I'm not subscribed.

 

I'm interested to hear what changes they have in store for EJ in particular. I usually try to hit up a play there each year as my fiancé enjoys them. It's closer and a fraction of the cost compared to playhouse square.

The moving stage has been broken for years. 

[Blue & Gold]

 

[kreed5120]

3 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

 

 

3 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

 

 

Thanks for sharing. I like to hear they're consolidating and right sizing the campus. Also, the designs for Spanton/Bulger seem like a huge positive to make them more attractive to potential incoming freshman.

 

It's hard to find much fault with the current administration. It seems the have a very deliberate plan and are executing on the objectives.