akronad Posted October 17, 2007 Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 The City of Akron announced plans for new student housing downtown.Press Release: A prominent block of downtown real estate is about to become the central city's newest address for residential living. Mayor Don Plusquellic introduced developer Marty Mehall of Richland Communities, Ltd. of Middleburgh Heights to reporters at his weekly news conference this morning. Mehall, who for 24 years has built single-family homes in Ohio and Florida, has more recently developed apartment communities in Akron, Avon Lake, Can't and Cuyahoga Falls. His company has also begun creating student housing around Can't State University. The apartment community in downtown Akron will be exclusively for students attending the University of Akron and be created in the block bounded by Main, High, Exchange and Cedar streets. Mehall told reporters, "There is an ever increasing demand here for student housing, and what we're producing is high-quality, market rate apartments with the wonderful amenities offered by downtown Akron living."Richland Communities, Ltd plans to build 150 units to house 450 persons who will rent by the bedroom instead of by the entire unit. "That way," Mehall said, "when students leave a unit, their former roommates won't have to absorb his or her share."Units will be completely furnished and have two beds, three beds or four beds. Every bed will have its own private bathroom and each unit a full kitchen and its own laundry facilities. The rooms will be computer-ready with high-speed internet access (both wired and wireless). Student rent will be from $649-$749 monthly and include all utilities. Mehall plans a fitness center, game room, study rooms and more in the complex.Within the block to be developed, the office building at 12 East Exchange Street will remain and the Richard Howe House will be relocated just a few blocks away. Currently at the corner of East Exchange and South High streets, the Howe House is a canal-era landmark. Known as the Howe Mansion by travelers on the Ohio & Erie Canal, this 1836 high-style Federal structure was the home of Richard Howe, the resident engineer of the Ohio & Erie Canal in the mid 19th century.The City of Akron plans to reposition the canal engineer's house to the banks of the historic Ohio & Erie Canal at the corner of Exchange and Water streets, just west of its current location where it will be restored to its original state and become the new headquarters to the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition, under the direction of President and CEO Dan Rice. Rice and the coalition have undertaken the restoration plan in partnership with the City of Akron.Once the block is cleared next summer, construction on the $25-30 million project will begin, with a planned move-in date of August of 2009 by UA students. Residents will also enjoy retail space located on the first floor of the four-story units along South Main Street. Apartments located on High, Cedar and Exchange streets will be strictly residential, according to Mehall.Mayor Plusquellic noted, "The apartment will essentially wrap around the block, and there'll be some open space around the office building at 12 East Exchange. But this will provide young adults with housing, entertainment, places to eat and enjoy themselves and offer some retail that might even help them with their studies."Mehall is expecting the retail to be run by larger, regional and national operators who have experience; business people who've "done it before" as he puts it.Source: City of Akron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g-mann17 Posted October 17, 2007 Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 It sounds like a nice idea (sorry brubakers) I am curious to see concept drawings on the project though. I am hoping it sticks with the current architectural trends in the city: Red Brick, Glass, and stone accents. I figure 150 units on top of retail, it should be about 4 stories or similar in size to the Exchange St Student Housing that was just recently built.Also I have a feeling that the project is a huge lead into this:Here's Hoping :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachTheZip Posted October 17, 2007 Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 For those of you unfamiliar with downtown Akron's geography, That is right across the street from the Beacon Journal on the corner of Exchange and High street. It's currently an empty parking lot.Looks like Mayor Don is finally understanding just how important the University is to the local economy. Bring more students downtown, and there will be more shops and bars to accomadate them. It also sets us up to take over the Mayflower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziptrumpet87 Posted October 17, 2007 Report Share Posted October 17, 2007 city of Akron news release with renderingsonly question I have is do the students have to use university parking? there doesn't seem to be any in the plans for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g-mann17 Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 city of Akron news release with renderingsonly question I have is do the students have to use university parking? there doesn't seem to be any in the plans for them.Supposedly, the City is going to free up parking for the area somehow. That should be interesting to see how that happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziptrumpet87 Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 city of Akron news release with renderingsonly question I have is do the students have to use university parking? there doesn't seem to be any in the plans for them.Supposedly, the City is going to free up parking for the area somehow. That should be interesting to see how that happens.I noticed some new on-street parking on Cedar, but that and the internal parking lot are not enough for 450 students. Guess they are hoping for students w/o cars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mccracken Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Right across the street from the bars? Is that the best location? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g-mann17 Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Right across the street from the bars? Is that the best location?Obviously you have never visited any other school. OU all the bars are just up the hill from Johnson (on campus housing). In Madison, it's the same situation.This is how college housing is supposed to be. At least now they don't have to drive home. Besides the fact that this is going to be "off campus" housing. Meaning that it is not governed by the University of Akron at all. Just the owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BZip_08 Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Right across the street from the bars? Is that the best location?Yes. Yes it is. Just kidding, kind of. I'm a business student at Akron, and there can't be a better location downtown right now for further expansion. This is brilliant, almost as brilliant as the idea that me and a classmate had to do the exact same thing, in the same place. hmmm interesting we had one problem, lack of capital. That's a great place to build though, the buildings that are there are condemned or should be, but the surrounding area is already built up for it. Next step- Mayflower takeover. Now that would change the image of downtown Akron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BZip_08 Posted October 18, 2007 Report Share Posted October 18, 2007 Right across the street from the bars? Is that the best location?Yes. Yes it is. Just kidding, kind of. I'm a business student at Akron, and there can't be a better location downtown right now for further expansion. This is brilliant, almost as brilliant as the idea that me and a classmate had to do the exact same thing, in the same place. hmmm interesting we had one problem, lack of capital. That's a great place to build though, the buildings that are there are condemned or should be, but the surrounding area is already built up for it. Next step- Mayflower takeover. Now that would change the image of downtown Akron.Whoops. At first I thought this was for the same area except north of exchange... now I'm questioning it a little. I know that Jillian's building is vacant and all, but it's still fairly new and could be converted. Whatever. The Don is going to try to help downtown by finally using UA. How novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mccracken Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 They ought put the building behing Jillians and those other buildings- the drunken students wouldn't even have to cross the street to stumble home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziptrumpet87 Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 They ought put the building behing Jillians and those other buildings- the drunken students wouldn't even have to cross the street to stumble home They won't. The bars are on the first floor of the Main St. part of the development, housing on 2nd-4th floors. The other bldg that faces High St. will be all housing. Everything is within the boundaries of the block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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