UA's Quaker Square

[pat]

It was never needed as a hotel in the first place. UA should have made it 100% student housing from the get-go back in 2007. The mayor's tantrum was just bad theatre and the Akron Speaking Urinal backed his dishonest claims as usual.

http://www.ohio.com/news/akron-s-landmark-...9249?comments=n

[skip-zip]

I think it's a shame that such a unique place is no longer a memorable place to stay for both my personal and business guests over the years. An era has ended, for sure.

Akron does indeed have an issue with downtown hotel space that needs to be resolved. Some of the other projects that are being discussed could alleviate that problem. Who knows. Time will tell.

[ZachTheZip]

A shame? UA saved that place from destruction. If UA didn't buy it, the hotel would have gone out of business and then the silos and everything else would have been demolished.

Now it's a memorable place to stay for hundreds of UA students every year.

[Dave in Green]

It can simultaneously be a shame that the public will no longer be able to stay in this unique, historical place, and a positive that UA saved it from possible destruction for lack of being able to attract enough of the public to keep it in business. These are not mutually exclusive propositions.

[Zipmeister]

It can simultaneously be a shame that the public will no longer be able to stay in this unique, historical place, and a positive that UA saved it from possible destruction for lack of being able to attract enough of the public to keep it in business. These are not mutually exclusive propositions.

I think it is commendable that Akron has given up on attracting convention business. There are still too many shrinking rust belt cities spending resources in an attempt to bring in a few convention dollars.

[ZachTheZip]

I think it is commendable that Akron has given up on attracting convention business. There are still too many shrinking rust belt cities spending resources in an attempt to bring in a few convention dollars.

They need a convention center before they can try to attract convention business.

[pat]

We have a convention center called John S. Knight. It's all Akron needs and there is absolutely no issue whatsoever with downtown hotel space. Very few want to stay in a downtown Akron hotel. That is why Jay Nausbaum shut his Quaker Square Hotel down and the university saved it from the wrecking ball.

I see no shame here whatsoever. For the most part, the so-called hotel space at Quaker Square was hardly used before UA bought it and certainly after UA bought it. UA was just placating the mayor in one of his many fake hissy fits falsely accusing UA of "shutting it down". The university waisted a lot of time and money going through the charade of running a hotel that was neither needed nor wanted.

All things must come to an end and I say good riddance. Hotel space in downtown Akron is a fake issue being propped up by those who refuse to face facts and move on. Wringing hands over the topic is more about politics than progress.

[tbozeglav]

If youre a business owner in downtown Akron that relies heavily on foot traffic for your business model, you WANT a hotel so that it increases the number of potential patrons.

But yeah youre right... hotels in a downtown environment are a total waste of money and space Im sure people in town for business/conventions/etc will love having to drive 15 minutes out of the city to their hotel and spend their money there. Downtown Akron doesn't need it!

[ZachTheZip]

If youre a business owner in downtown Akron that relies heavily on foot traffic for your business model, you WANT a hotel so that it increases the number of potential patrons.

But yeah youre right... hotels in a downtown environment are a total waste of money and space Im sure people in town for business/conventions/etc will love having to drive 15 minutes out of the city to their hotel and spend their money there. Downtown Akron doesn't need it!

If there was demand for that, Quaker would never have folded and City Center would still be a Ramada and not struggle with occupancy rates. If there was demand, another, nationally known, hotel chain would open up in downtown. Right now, there is nothing that generates demand for a hotel. Most business that happens downtown is local. The "convention center" downtown is an absolute joke, and about 1/4th the square footage that a city the size of Akron should have, and so it never attracts anything of significance.

[pat]

If youre a business owner in downtown Akron that relies heavily on foot traffic for your business model, you WANT a hotel so that it increases the number of potential patrons.

But yeah youre right... hotels in a downtown environment are a total waste of money and space Im sure people in town for business/conventions/etc will love having to drive 15 minutes out of the city to their hotel and spend their money there. Downtown Akron doesn't need it!

So, Quaker Square closed in spite of all its booming patronage right? You do realize that downtown Akron still has one hotel left. Try checking into how that one is doing as well for your so-called "business model". No one other than you said that hotels in downtown environments are a total waste. We're talking about downtown Akron specifically. If you can't put forth the dollars to buy and operate your own hotel in downtown Akron, then I suggest you put a sock in it. As always you don't have a clue. You just want to shoot your sarcastic mouth off and pick fights (eye rolling here).

[tbozeglav]

So, Quaker Square closed in spite of all its booming patronage right? You do realize that downtown Akron still has one hotel left. Try checking into how that one is doing as well for your so-called "business model". No one other than you said that hotels in downtown environments are a total waste. We're talking about downtown Akron specifically. If you can't put forth the dollars to buy and operate your own hotel in downtown Akron, then I suggest you put a sock in it. As always you don't have a clue. You just want to shoot your sarcastic mouth off and pick fights (eye rolling here).

pot. kettle. black. etc.

[ZippyRulz]

ClevelandZip (from UA News thread)

 

Posted February 3

 

 

https://signalakron.org/wonder-bread-building-university-akron-demolished/

 

I thought this was an interesting article. UA is demolishing the old Akron Baking/Wonder Bread building. It is also planning on demolishing other buildings and selling off ones that can be salvaged. The article specifically says UA is trying to sell Quaker Square (which is not unexpected).

 

A preservationist is quoted in the article saying that preserving Quaker Square, the Central Hower Auditorium, and the Martin building are his priorities.

 

--------------------

 

One can only assume UA will get all the blame from John Q. Public if QS is sold and gets torn down. If anyone should be responsible for its preservation it's the Quaker Oats Co. It would make a great company museum and gift shop.

 

 

 

Edited March 27, 2024 by ZippyRulz

[GP1]

On 3/27/2024 at 9:48 AM, ZippyRulz said:

One can only assume UA will get all the blame from John Q. Public if QS is sold and gets torn down. 

I'm assuming nobody will care. 

 

With limited vision, it wouldn't be hard to tear it down and construct something more value to the people in and around Akron. 

[kreed5120]

On 3/27/2024 at 9:48 AM, ZippyRulz said:

ClevelandZip (from UA News thread)

 

Posted February 3

 

 

https://signalakron.org/wonder-bread-building-university-akron-demolished/

 

I thought this was an interesting article. UA is demolishing the old Akron Baking/Wonder Bread building. It is also planning on demolishing other buildings and selling off ones that can be salvaged. The article specifically says UA is trying to sell Quaker Square (which is not unexpected).

 

A preservationist is quoted in the article saying that preserving Quaker Square, the Central Hower Auditorium, and the Martin building are his priorities.

 

--------------------

 

One can only assume UA will get all the blame from John Q. Public if QS is sold and gets torn down. If anyone should be responsible for its preservation it's the Quaker Oats Co. It would make a great company museum and gift shop.

 

 

 

I didn't even realize UA bought the Wonder Bread building. I wonder what even led to them purchasing that in the first place.

[ZippyRulz]

...more parking and “an attractive north entry to the campus.”

 

Apparently some UA sites are being considered for a police department relocation:

 

https://www.ideastream.org/law-justice/2024-04-16/will-akron-use-an-existing-space-for-its-police-headquarters-or-build-new-city-considers-10-sites

 

Maybe some strings can get pulled to enable UA to make a much needed property sale.

 

Edited May 13, 2024 by ZippyRulz

[ZippyRulz]

per today's ABJ, central hower and the bread factory site are possibilities for the new city police HQ.

 

I did not know who the current Akron mayor was prior to seeing this article.