The Enterprise Rent-A-Car outlet at East Market and East Exchange streets has not only a new look, but also a new building.

A new office was built and the old one, located next door, was demolished this week.

The old building was being used until the new one was completed two months ago.

The updated look is the start of a new appearance for the Enterprise branches.

''This is the most modern building of all the other Akron-area branches,'' said Randy White, assistant manager of the branch. ''This is a lot nicer for our customers,'' he said, pointing to the new carpet and Enterprise sign.

The dollar value of the renovation was not available. Six employees are based at the site.

The Akron-Canton area has 12 branches, including one at Akron-Canton Airport. The East Market Street location is the first to take on the updated

look.

Renovated branches with changes in signage and counters, as well as new truck and airport shuttle bus paint schemes, will be phased in over the next three years, officials said.

There are 61 locations throughout Northeast Ohio.

Employees at the site are pleased with their new location.

''It's good for business and the community,'' White said. ''The old building was falling apart.''

The former building had many faces prior to Enterprise's arrival, including a bank and a car dealership lot. Enterprise has leased the building since 1991. It was used for rental and used car sales. The company moved the sales portion to its Tallmadge Avenue location in 2001.

The building that was torn down will be converted into parking to give the rental agency additional space for a larger fleet of rental cars and more green space. The parking area will also provide an easier access to the new building's car wash, which is now an interior operation.

The area is known as the Middlebury Neighborhood Business District. City of Akron Planning Director Warren Woolford said 17 businesses in the area have received grant assistance, public and private funds to improve the area, such as Middlebury Market Place with Dave's grocery store, but Enterprise was not on the list. Enterprise does not own the property.

Steve Smith, vice president of Enterprise's marketing and communications, said, ''The Enterprise name is 20 percent larger in this new treatment, providing greater visibility and consumer recognition.''

The most significant change from the existing logo is its stand-alone use of the Enterprise name without the ''Rent-A-Car'' wording. Company officials said the move was made to strengthen consumer awareness and identify the company's growth beyond car rentals. The company also sells some of its rentals.

It is the seventh sign change the company has developed since its founding in 1957. The last change was made in the mid-1990s.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car operates more than 878,000 rental vehicles worldwide and has annual revenues of $9 billion. Its headquarters is in St. Louis.

On Aug. 1, Enterprise purchased Vanguard Car Rental, which owned National and Alamo rental businesses. Enterprise managers said at the present time National and Alamo are each still operating as separate branches with different customer bases, but that could change.