Akron: University of Akron: Development and News

[yanni_gogolak]

Amazon opens pickup store on University of Akron campus

By Joey Morona, cleveland.com

on June 14, 2016 at 10:47 AM, updated June 14, 2016 at 11:44 AM

 

AKRON, Ohio -- Listen up, Zips, if you need a textbook fast or can't find that laptop you want at the big box store. Amazon's first brick-and-mortar store in Akron is now open.

 

Amazon@Akron, located at The Edge, 290 East Exchange Street, on the University of Akron campus, is less of a store, more of customer service center where people can pick up (or return) items ordered on Amazon in a secure, convenient location.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2016/06/amazon_opens_pickup_store_on_u.html#incart_river_index

[yanni_gogolak]

University of Akron plans to seek state approval to sell former presidential home

February 15, 2017 Updated a day ago

By Rachel Abbey McCafferty

 

The University of Akron on Wednesday, Feb. 15, took a step toward putting what used to serve as the home for its presidents on the market, as its board of trustees authorized the administration to seek legislative approval to sell it.

 

The property at 465 Burning Tree Drive in Akron is owned by the state, so the university needs state approval before it can sell it. The university announced the move in an email to faculty and staff.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20170215/NEWS/170219867/university-of-akron-plans-to-seek-state-approval-to-sell-former

[Gramarye]

Seems like a respectable move.  Obviously not much money in the grand scheme of major university budgets, but symbolic.

[NEOBuckeye]

One more step on the long quest to clean up the messes made by the previous regime. Wonder what ever happened to the Olive Jar?

[yanni_gogolak]

One more step on the long quest to clean up the messes made by the previous regime. Wonder what ever happened to the Olive Jar?

 

Became a chamber pot?

[yanni_gogolak]

In the market for a certain olive jar? University of Akron has just the house for you

By Marilyn Miller

Published: February 16, 2017 - 07:25 PM

The 3-feet-tall, 200-pound olive jar was cheaper than most of the other decorating costs in the bedroom: Two chairs and an ottoman ($4,500), two night tables ($2,600), a makeup chair ($838) and a mirror ($1,800).

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/in-the-market-for-a-certain-olive-jar-university-of-akron-has-just-the-house-for-you-1.747862

[yanni_gogolak]

University of Akron receives $5 million gift to create museum of Native American artifacts

April 19, 2017

By Rachel Abbey McCafferty

 

The University of Akron has received a large gift to help create a museum to display Native American artifacts.

 

Jim and Vanita Oelschlager have contributed $5 million toward what will be known as the Oak Native American Museum, according to a news release.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20170419/NEWS/170419782/university-of-akron-receives-5-million-gift-to-create-museum-of

[surfohio]

University of Akron receives $5 million gift to create museum of Native American artifacts

April 19, 2017

By Rachel Abbey McCafferty

 

The University of Akron has received a large gift to help create a museum to display Native American artifacts.

 

Jim and Vanita Oelschlager have contributed $5 million toward what will be known as the Oak Native American Museum, according to a news release.

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20170419/NEWS/170419782/university-of-akron-receives-5-million-gift-to-create-museum-of

 

This is a neat re-purposed building, deserves a pic!

[yanni_gogolak]

University of Akron's $21 million law school renovation includes full courtroom

Updated on September 6, 2017 at 3:16 PM Posted on September 6, 2017 at 3:15 PM

By Karen Farkas, cleveland.com

 

AKRON, Ohio - A courtroom, complete with judge's bench, jury room and judge's chambers are among the new additions to the University of Akron's School of Law.

 

The $21 million renovation of the C. Blake McDowell Law Center includes a new west wing addition for students and faculty. The university did not take on debt for the renovations, which were paid for with university funds and donations.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/09/university_of_akrons_21_millio.html#incart_river_index

[X]

crainscleveland.com

University of Akron to receive gift of more than $20 million

By RACHEL ABBEY MCCAFFERTY

2-3 minutes

 

The University of Akron announced it will receive a gift of more than $20 million — the largest in its history.

 

The gift, which was announced Thursday, Oct. 19, comes from the estate of Jean Hower Taber, a longtime university benefactor who died last summer at age 94 and is the great granddaughter of the founder of Quaker Oats Co. The majority of the gift — about two-thirds — will go toward scholarships for honors and audiology students. The first scholarships are expected to be awarded for fall 2019.

 

"It's amazing how many dreams of a college education this tremendous gift will help make possible," President Matthew J. Wilson said in a news release. "This will have an immeasurable impact on dozens of lives each year, as a new group of Hower Scholars will come to the University each and every year in pursuit of their goals."

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20171019/news/139356/university-akron-receive-gift-more-20-million

[yanni_gogolak]

Former plasma donation, Townhouse bar site across from UA campus getting a makeover

Published: May 13, 2018 - 7:15 PM | Updated: May 14, 2018 - 12:52 PM

 

By Katie Byard

Beacon Journal staff writer

 

For decades, donors gathered outside the building on the corner of East Exchange and Brown streets near the University of Akron as they waited to sell their plasma.

 

That came to an end in 2011, when CSL Plasma moved and the UA Foundation paid $2 million to buy the building on the prominent corner.

 

https://www.ohio.com/akron/writers/katie-byard/former-plasma-donation-townhouse-bar-site-across-from-ua-campus-getting-a-makeover

[yanni_gogolak]

University of Akron's College of Business Administration expansion boosts academic amenities, connects campus to downtown

Updated May 15, 4:05 PM; Posted May 15, 2:52 PM

By Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

 

 

AKRON, Ohio - Expansion of the University of Akron College of Business Administration is underway, boosting academic offerings for students while strengthening the school's connection to downtown Akron.

 

Plans for the 15,000 square-foot, $5.2 million Professional Development Center were unveiled to educators, students, donors and community leaders at a groundbreaking on Tuesday.

 

https://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2018/05/uas_college_of_business_admini.html#incart_river_index

[surfohio]

University of Akron tries to tackle sports 'dilemma'

KEVIN KLEPS

 

When Larry Williams was hired as the University of Akron's director of athletics in August 2015, Scott Scarborough was the university's president.

 

The Zips have had two changes at the top since — the second of which resulted in Dr. John Green, a 31-year employee, being named interim president in April.

 

"It's not as stable as you'd otherwise want," Williams said of the Zips' leadership situation. "But the good news is John Green is a very stable character. He's been here forever and he knows where all the land mines are."

 

http://drupal.prod.crainscleveland.com/sports-business/university-akron-tries-tackle-sports-dilemma

[yanni_gogolak]

UA has a new booking for an older gem -- as a boutique hotel

By Katie Byard
Beacon Journal/Ohio.com

Posted Mar 17, 2019 at 5:48 PM Updated Mar 17, 2019 at 8:33 PM

A glorious old building on the eastern edge of the University of Akron campus may be transformed into a boutique hotel with some 60 to 70 guest rooms.

Cleveland developers Joe Shafran and Tom Chema, former president of Hiram College, have proposed redeveloping the century-old Martin University Center building at 105 Fir Hill and turning it into lodging that would cater to the university as well as the community.

The Martin University Center — a brick and concrete structure with a front balcony supported by pillars — closed in 2013.

 

https://www.ohio.com/news/20190317/ua-has-new-booking-for-older-gem----as-boutique-hotel

[yanni_gogolak]

Progress on the College of Business addition.

 

 

[yanni_gogolak]

July 07, 2019 04:00 AM updated 5 hours ago

Neighborhood Watch: University Park is finding its identity

Dan Shingler

 

Development underway

That may be wishful thinking, for now, but there is some development taking place near campus. The Martin University Center, a 40,000-square-foot former private club that opened in 1918 and has been vacant since 2013, is being redeveloped into a 73-room boutique hotel by an investor group led by Tom Chema, who is probably best known for spearheading the development of sports venues in downtown Cleveland.

"We expect to spend something north of $14 million in hard dollars on the project. That does not include the acquisition, so we'll invest a total of about $19 million," he said.

Chema added he expects to complete financing and begin construction in October, with hopes of opening by the end of 2020.

 

https://www.crainscleveland.com/akron-news/neighborhood-watch-university-park-finding-its-identity

[yanni_gogolak]

16 hours ago, Terdolph said:

Man, that thing is ugly.  Looks like a factory I used to work in!

 

Have you seen the original building next to it?

[surfohio]

22 minutes ago, Terdolph said:

No.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiUv8LWt6jjAhUSBnwKHS93DF4QjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.efcocorp.com%2Fgalleries%2Fdetail%2F106&psig=AOvVaw1WLvISFH3vgB6xwlOyNNfQ&ust=1562782243023009

[surfohio]

28 minutes ago, Terdolph said:

Weird.  Kind of looks like a brewery with garage bays in front. 

 

Did anybody look at the architect's drawings before this thing got approved?

Haha. I remember at the time it was considered "bold" and "different."  

[Keelung to Cuyahoga]

I just happened to be on campus earlier today and found that they've taken out the bridge in front of ASEC. I guess they might be rebuilding it?

[surfohio]

^ Wasn't that the bridge that you could rip off chunks of it with your bare hand?

[Keelung to Cuyahoga]

15 hours ago, surfohio said:

^ Wasn't that the bridge that you could rip off chunks of it with your bare hand?

I wouldn't doubt it. It was a bit crumbly even when I was a student 6 years ago. That and half of it would flood anytime it rain.

[surfohio]

5 hours ago, Keelung to Cuyahoga said:

I wouldn't doubt it. It was a bit crumbly even when I was a student 6 years ago. That and half of it would flood anytime it rain.

Yikes. The proximity to the Engineering building is somewhat ironic. Or maybe appropriate lol. My chem engineer buddies always looked down on the civils. "They're incompetent...just look at the roads!" 

 

GO ZIPS!!!!!

[Keelung to Cuyahoga]

On 5/30/2019 at 4:40 PM, yanni_gogolak said:

Progress on the College of Business addition.

 

 

 

I took a few pictures today while waiting for the bus. I dont think it looks as bad now that they are finishing it up.

 

[audidave]

Here’s tweet from UofA with splashy quick edited video.  Might want to turn sound way down as it has loud clangy music. 

 

@uakron: Notice anything new on the corner of University and S. Broadway? 
Today, thanks to 280 donors, UA is set to open its newest campus building: The Anthony J. Alexander Professional Development Center. 
@akronCBA
 
Learn more: https://uakron.edu/im/news/northeast-ohio-business-community-supports-student-development https://twitter.com/uakron/status/1171526706391175173/video/1

[yanni_gogolak]

December 08, 2019 04:00 AM

Akron's Martin House boutique hotel on track for 2020 launch

Dan Shingler

 

With plans firmed up and financing nearly finalized, Akron and its eponymous university are closer to getting a new boutique hotel that backers say will reactivate an important part of campus while giving the school and city some much-needed high-end lodging.

The slated conversion of the former University Club and Martin Center into the Martin House hotel also will put a little money into the University of Akron's coffers from an initial lease payment and, if all goes as planned, with ongoing income from the hotel's profits.

 

https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/akrons-martin-house-boutique-hotel-track-2020-launch?utm_source=akron-morning-roundup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20191209&utm_content=article1-image

[yanni_gogolak]

Art by Akron’s Don Drumm is torn down with building, but next door his work survives

A touchstone of the University of Akron commercial strip is now rubble, demolished to make way for a parking lot.

 

https://cl.s7.exct.net/?qs=0194d6409949e167f1355fb6d39facdb034b8f33b8e855be9f0b6f6ca6440de020d81b667f0c00f6b56c92d20b5c3be54d07cdf2ad34338a

 

Old BW3's building.

[surfohio]

4 hours ago, yanni_gogolak said:

Art by Akron’s Don Drumm is torn down with building, but next door his work survives

A touchstone of the University of Akron commercial strip is now rubble, demolished to make way for a parking lot.

 

https://cl.s7.exct.net/?qs=0194d6409949e167f1355fb6d39facdb034b8f33b8e855be9f0b6f6ca6440de020d81b667f0c00f6b56c92d20b5c3be54d07cdf2ad34338a

 

Old BW3's building.

This is ridiculous. Why does Akron piss me off so much? 

[surfohio]

A very good WR, an even better filmmaker apparently!

 

University of Akron alum Matthew Cherry wins Oscar for animated short ‘Hair Love’

By Robin Goist, cleveland.com

LOS ANGELES, California -- Matthew A. Cherry, a former University of Akron and NFL wide receiver, won an Academy Award on Sunday for directing “Hair Love," which won best animated short film.

 

The nearly seven-minute film, which was funded through a Kickstarter campaign, depicts an African-American father’s experience of styling his young daughter’s hair for the first time.

 

“We have a big team that we have to thank, but time is running short, so I just want to say that ‘Hair Love’ was done because we wanted to see more representation in animation,” Cherry said during his acceptance speech alongside producer Karen Rupert Toliver. “We wanted to normalize Black hair.”

[yanni_gogolak]

August 27, 2020 03:47 PM updated 13 hours ago

Cleveland State, University of Akron to look at combining law schools

Rachel Abbey McCafferty

 

Cleveland State University and the University of Akron are exploring the idea of entering a strategic partnership to combine their law schools, the universities said in a news release.

The two universities have formed a Joint Exploratory Working Group that will look into the possibility of a partnership between the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and the University of Akron School of Law.

https://www.crainscleveland.com/education/cleveland-state-university-akron-look-combining-law-schools

[NorthShore647]

Akron's Martin House hotel conversion on hold for now

Dan Shingler - Feb. 7, 2021

 

 

"The planned $21 million hotel conversion of the Martin Center on the campus of the University of Akron lost its financing last year when its senior lender pulled out of the deal, and the project has yet to find a new lender willing to replace it, said Tom Chema, chairman of Cleveland's Gateway Group. ... The project was supposed to be completed at the end of 2020 and expected to start holding events and renting rooms early this year. But now the developers are hoping just to start construction this year, hopefully in the spring."

[NorthShore647]

University of Akron to hire consultant for real estate strategy

Dan Shingler - Crain's CLE Business - Feb. 11, 2021

 

 

"The University of Akron will hire an outside consultant to help it manage its real estate holdings, including likely selling and leasing some of it, the school announced Thursday, Feb. 11.  UA's holdings are huge — about 8 million square feet under roof on its campus near downtown Akron, said vice president of operations Nathan Mortimer. ... "We're not looking at the entire campus. We're looking at stuff on the peripheral. … There's probably about a million square feet we're looking at, and it's not all disposition," Mortimer said."

[NEOBuckeye]

Polsky's should have been sold off years ago.

 

I recall President Marion Reubel considering it, but when Proenza became President, he saw Polsky's as essential for UA's growth and expansion.

 

20 years later, things have come full circle, except that UA is financially worse off now than before, with even lower enrollment, and grim prospects for easily reversing either of these trends in the foreseeable future.

 

Proenza's "moon shot" ended up missing the mark with InfoCision stadium representing the pinnacle of overreach and misinvestment, to put it mildly. Also, some properties never should have been bought in the first place, Quaker Square among them.

 

It's unfortunate for the university, and for the city of Akron itself, that UA didn't turn out to be the sustainable juggernaut that the area needed to power its growth. For a lot of reasons, UA isn't Ohio State, and never will be.

 

[yanni_gogolak]

June 20, 2021 04:00 AM updated 16 hours ago

University of Akron, city team up for arts-based initiative

Amy Morona

 

In a talk with the Akron Roundtable last month, UA president Gary Miller said the university needs to redefine what it means to be a campus post-pandemic. Officials are turning to their downtown partners and the area's art scene to help figure it out.

AkronArts is a new wide-ranging initiative that looks to better connect some of the university's arts offerings with the city. University spaces, like the Polsky Building in Akron, will be repurposed. The downtown dwelling will house some of UA's arts programs while becoming a place for community members to visit for arts offerings.

 

https://www.crainscleveland.com/education/university-akron-city-team-arts-based-initiative

[Luke_S]

If we are also able to win the Polymer Research and Development Center (posted in the Akron general business thread) Akron should be well positioned in the field and hopefully we see some spin off investments in the near future. 

 

University of Akron receives $2 million for graduate engineering fellowships

 

Quote

The University of Akron’s College of Engineering and Polymer Science has received a five-year, $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The money will go toward training engineering grad students in using digital data to solve materials science problems.

 

...

 

Jana adds that they’ve applied for grants from the National Science Foundation before. But this one was driven by a survey of employers conducted last year asking what they’re looking for in the next generation of engineers. The employers include partners in the new program such as NASA Glenn Research Center, Eaton Corporation, Goodyear Tire, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and Bridgestone-Firestone.

 

https://www.ideastream.org/news/university-of-akron-receives-2-million-for-graduate-engineering-fellowships

[yanni_gogolak]

With $20M gift, UA's Polsky vision has grown substantially, but no plans to add to debt

 

The University of Akron's original vision for revitalizing the Polsky building downtown was to open it onto Main Street and add performing arts spaces.

Now, with a $20 million commitment from the Knight Foundation, the university is planning a much more substantial renovation to its 400,000-square-foot central downtown building.

 

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/education/2022/09/20/university-of-akron-plan-to-renovate-polsky-building-grows-with-20m-knight-gift-gary-miller/69499613007/?utm_source=beaconjournal-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=NABJ-OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65

[yanni_gogolak]

September 23, 2022 10:27 AM

Martin House property up for sale

Dan Shingler

 

It might be back to the drawing board for the former University Club and Martin Center on Fir Hill near the University of Akron's campus.

Efforts by Cleveland's Gateway Group and Paran Management, which partnered to lease the former club and turn it into a high-end boutique hotel called Martin House, were submarined by the pandemic, said Gateway chairman Tom Chema.

 

https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/martin-house-property-sale-akron

[yanni_gogolak]

The North Campus parking Deck-Starship project will construct a facility to maintain a fleet of delivery robots. The Work will include architectural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing activities. The project is an alteration of an existing cast-in-place concreate parking structure to create a new room within the first level. The function of this room is for the maintenance, storage and charging of robotic delivery vehicles. This room will be
conditioned space within an open and unconditioned parking structure.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/ALk4bLZtD36nXjWPA?coh=178572&entry=tt

 

This is interesting. I've seen these in action at Ohio State. Do any of the other NE Ohio schools have them?

[yanni_gogolak]

LOCAL

Jason Segedy still in planning state of mind in move from city to University of Akron role

 

After working for the city of Akron for nearly 25 years, most recently as its planning director, Jason Segedy is celebrating a homecoming with his college alma mater — while continuing to advocate for downtown growth and development.

Segedy, who recently left Mayor Dan Horrigan's administration to work for the University of Akron, said the chance was too good to pass up when he was hired to work on what UA President Gary Miller called a "generational opportunity for the university and the city to come together."

 

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/16/jason-segedy-leading-role-university-akron-ua-polsky-building-renovation/70212917007/?utm_source=nabj-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65

[surfohio]

13 minutes ago, yanni_gogolak said:

LOCAL

Jason Segedy still in planning state of mind in move from city to University of Akron role

 

After working for the city of Akron for nearly 25 years, most recently as its planning director, Jason Segedy is celebrating a homecoming with his college alma mater — while continuing to advocate for downtown growth and development.

Segedy, who recently left Mayor Dan Horrigan's administration to work for the University of Akron, said the chance was too good to pass up when he was hired to work on what UA President Gary Miller called a "generational opportunity for the university and the city to come together."

 

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2023/05/16/jason-segedy-leading-role-university-akron-ua-polsky-building-renovation/70212917007/?utm_source=nabj-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=OHIO-AKRON-NLETTER65

 

UA has been trying to integrate with downtown for 30+ years now. It's like a 100 year plan lol. It's good to read that they're at least finally saying the right things about the Polsky Building. Here's hoping! 

[Luke_S]

Akron Children's opens sports health center at University of Akron

Joe Scalzo

February 29th 2024

 

Akron Children’s Sports Health has a new place to fix the Zips’ hips — and anything else ailing the University of Akron’s 500 student-athletes, faculty, staff and students.

 

The comprehensive sports facility is located inside UA’s Stile Athletics Field House and is designed to help athletes age 12 and older dealing with orthopedic or sports injuries.

 

...

 

Three Akron Children’s physicians and two fellows will provide athlete medical clinics five days a week, while 10 athletic trainers will provide sideline coverage at practices and games and will work with athletes in the UA training room.

 

https://www.crainscleveland.com/sports-recreation/akron-childrens-opens-sports-health-center-zips

[Luke_S]

University of Akron explores privatizing its student housing

by Arielle Kass

March 8, 2024

 

The University of Akron, which has $80 million in debt on its nine residence halls, is considering selling control of its student housing to a private company that would pay for upgrades to its dorms — and perhaps build new ones.

 

The university is looking for a public-private partnership to maintain and operate its residence halls. It has requested information from three companies and opened its proposal (below) to others. The business partners would also finance and build new dorms, if necessary. 

 

The request is open-ended, and, with any agreement, the university is looking for ways to improve the student experience, said John Messina, the university’s vice president for student affairs. But the proposal states that the university wants to harness creative thinking from the private sector with regard to housing and transfer financial risk from the university.

 

https://signalakron.org/university-of-akron-explores-privatizing-its-student-housing/