10 Foot Tall Zippy

[Captain Kangaroo]

In 5 years no one will believe how crappy the University landscape used to be...

Note: Someone sent this to me...I steadfastly refuse to give the Beacon my personal info in order to read their shitty site.

Zippy may reign over updated McDonald's

Sculpture would mark new restaurant site at UA

By Katie Byard

Beacon Journal staff writer

Ronald McDonald, move over.

A nearly 10-foot-tall sculpture of Zippy the Kangaroo may beckon

customers to a new McDonald's restaurant proposed for East Exchange

Street near the University of Akron.

This supersized version of UA's marsupial mascot would be made of

stainless steel and reside on the corner of Sumner and Exchange streets

outside the new restaurant.

As the new McDonald's slogan goes: UA officials are ``lovin' it.''

That's because there's more than Zippified hamburger sales at stake,

they say.

The new fast-food joint would replace the existing McDonald's a few

blocks to the east on Exchange Street. The 40-year-old building is

outdated and its parking lot is difficult to exit, the company said.

The university would get that site at the edge of its campus and said it

eventually might use the land for student housing. At the very least,

some of the property would be landscaped and become part of the school's

effort to create a better-defined campus.

The new McDonald's could give a boost to UA's vision of a rejuvenated

East Exchange corridor adjacent to campus, said Ted Curtis, the

university's vice president for capital planning.

The University Park Alliance, an offshoot of UA, has an ambitious

concept that involves public and private investment, and blends retail

business, entertainment and new housing to create a destination place.

The university is spending more than $200 million on a campus rebuilding

plan. University officials say the off-campus redevelopment will help

protect the school's investments in on-campus properties.

With a red-brick exterior and no sloping roof, the new McDonald's would

be a departure from the traditional Mickey D's. Curtis said this week

the design would mesh well with campus buildings.

John Blickle, president of Heidman Inc., a local McDonald's franchisee,

said plans for the new restaurant still need approvals from UA trustees

and the state (because university funds would be involved.) But, he

said, ``Nobody says, `we don't want to do it.' ''

Heidman Inc. and McDonald's corporate would spend $1.5 million on the

new building and outside areas. The restaurant would replace the vacant

Mitch's Lounge and Shortstop Inn, and the Summit County Board of

Elections office, which moved to nearby Grant Street.

McDonald's already owns the Mitch's building. The county would sell the

former elections office for a price to be determined.

In a land swap, the university would get the current McDonald's site

while Heidman Inc. would end up with the Shortshop Inn property UA owns.

Blickle said he would like to start construction in September for a

possible opening in February. John Comunale, owner of Comunale

Sculptural Concepts, in Akron, has agreed to create the big Zippy.

He said the sculpture will be well-secured to the ground. That way,

Blickle said, it won't end up in a fraternity house.

[zff]

I have heard rumors that a spot for the new on campus stadium is where the old McDonalds is now. Does this mean there is a new stadium coming!!!!!

[Zipsrifle]

Lets hope a new stadium is on the way. But would this be a good area for the stadium? Sure, it is close to the freeway, but is it TOO close? I used to live behind Subway and my guess is that would be a pretty tight fit. I only make it back to Akron during the fall but if they put the stadium there it would wipe out quite a few of the student hangouts on the Zip Strip. The new parking deck next to 8 could swallow a bunch of cars and the East side of Rt.8 on exchange street (I used to live over there also) is pretty much a dump. They could level some old houses over there to make room for parking.

For some reason, I was under the impression that the new stadium might be between Sumner and Kling Street. They could take out the Zipmart and there is a lot of rental houses back there and a residence hall.

Whatever happens, an on campus stadium would drastically increase student participation. At the CMU game last year, there were a TON of students.....the stadium is about a 5 minute walk from campus.

[Guest Guest_Z.I.P.]

Wow! I started going to that McDonalds when it was still just a little counter, with no seating -- and no parking. Fortunately, that was before the days of "Super Sizing" -- or Morgan Spurlock. But then I had bragged to a girl in Anthro class about how healthy I ate, when I turned around with my bag of burgers, and there she was. I was busted!

This article may confirm the rumor that the stadium is headed for the Exchange St. neighborhood -- or maybe not. You got me.

[Zipsfan]

I had heard the rumor that whole block area was going to be used for the new stadium. The University will take over the property for now, but what will happen in the for the next couple of years. The Blimpie's building looks terrible all boarded up. I hope that they at least level the building until the plan is disclosed.