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By Bill Lilley
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 03:20 p.m. EST, Jan 05, 2009
The new restrooms are pristine and feature recycled water as part of a green-friendly campaign.
The technology with geothermal heating and cooling and solar panels that generate enough energy to power 130 homes in Akron is downright dazzling.
But Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic looked past the glitz and glitter at this morning's ribbon-cutting ceremony and quickly cited what he considers the most important feature of the soon-to-open Metro Regional Transit Authority's new Intermodal Transit Center on South Broadway.
''The safety that this new building will provide is paramount,'' Plusquellic said. ''There have been several times that I've been driving down Main Street, doing the speed limit during busy times, and I've almost hit a bus rider because they were darting between the buses because they had to catch their connecting bus in 30 seconds.
''It has simply been a dangerous situation for a long time at the transfer station on Main Street. I simply can't imagine how I or anybody else would feel if they hit somebody with their car.''
The mayor said the new facility will also enhance the riders' experience.
''The restrooms are fabulous,'' he said. ''And the other amenities are wonderful. I just wish [they] had this kind of facility when I was riding the bus from Kenmore to downtown to shop or work out at the Y[MCA] when I was a kid 45 years ago.''
The building also will feature an Akron Police Department substation that will have two police officers during all hours the transfer station is in operation once it opens Jan. 18. There are also more than 90 security cameras.
METRO Planning Director Kirt Conrad said he expects the amenities offered at the new $17 million, 14,000-square-foot facility to help push ridership from its current level of 6 million per year to as many as 7.5 million.
Conrad said METRO officials expect nearly 4,000 riders along with 600 Greyhound long-trip riders to use the Intermodal Transit Center each weekday.
Conrad also is proud of the facility's moves to protect the environment and provide long-term savings on operating costs.
The 432 solar panels and installation cost $900,000. Conrad said the electricity generated by the solar panels will render nearly a one-third savings and the project will pay for itself in 10 years.
The 45 geothermal wells that each are sunk 305 feet into the earth will provide all the heating and air conditioning the facility needs.
''We wanted to make a statement of public transportation and modern technology to everyone,'' Conrad said, ''and I think we did.
''It's a beautiful facility that will improve our ability to serve greatly in three key areas — safety, dependability and level of information. It's just too bad you can't see the incredible technology from the streets because the solar panels are on the roof and the geothermal wells are in the ground.''
METRO Executive Director Bob Pfaff added that officials of various transportation and governmental levels are hopeful that someday Amtrak will return service to Akron and the Intermodal Transit Center, which took nearly a decade to go from conception to reality, will be a key component of that addition.
Bill Lilley can be reached at 330-996-3811 or blilley@thebeaconjournal.com.
The new restrooms are pristine and feature recycled water as part of a green-friendly campaign.
The technology with geothermal heating and cooling and solar panels that generate enough energy to power 130 homes in Akron is downright dazzling.
But Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic looked past the glitz and glitter at this morning's ribbon-cutting ceremony and quickly cited what he considers the most important feature of the soon-to-open Metro Regional Transit Authority's new Intermodal Transit Center on South Broadway.
''The safety that this new building will provide is paramount,'' Plusquellic said. ''There have been several times that I've been driving down Main Street, doing the speed limit during busy times, and I've almost hit a bus rider because they were darting between the buses because they had to catch their connecting bus in 30 seconds.
''It has simply been a dangerous situation for a long time at the transfer station on Main Street. I simply can't imagine how I or anybody else would feel if they hit somebody with their car.''
The mayor said the new facility will also enhance the riders' experience.
''The restrooms are fabulous,'' he said. ''And the other amenities are wonderful. I just wish [they] had this kind of facility when I was riding the bus from Kenmore to downtown to shop or work out at the Y[MCA] when I was a kid 45 years ago.''
The building also will feature an Akron Police Department substation that will have two police officers during all hours the transfer station is in operation once it opens Jan. 18. There are also more than 90 security cameras.
METRO Planning Director Kirt Conrad said he expects the amenities offered at the new $17 million, 14,000-square-foot facility to help push ridership from its current level of 6 million per year to as many as 7.5 million.
Conrad said METRO officials expect nearly 4,000 riders along with 600 Greyhound long-trip riders to use the Intermodal Transit Center each weekday.
Conrad also is proud of the facility's moves to protect the environment and provide long-term savings on operating costs.
The 432 solar panels and installation cost $900,000. Conrad said the electricity generated by the solar panels will render nearly a one-third savings and the project will pay for itself in 10 years.
The 45 geothermal wells that each are sunk 305 feet into the earth will provide all the heating and air conditioning the facility needs.
''We wanted to make a statement of public transportation and modern technology to everyone,'' Conrad said, ''and I think we did.
''It's a beautiful facility that will improve our ability to serve greatly in three key areas — safety, dependability and level of information. It's just too bad you can't see the incredible technology from the streets because the solar panels are on the roof and the geothermal wells are in the ground.''
METRO Executive Director Bob Pfaff added that officials of various transportation and governmental levels are hopeful that someday Amtrak will return service to Akron and the Intermodal Transit Center, which took nearly a decade to go from conception to reality, will be a key component of that addition.
Bill Lilley can be reached at 330-996-3811 or blilley@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Akron, Oh
Posted 04:02 PM, 01/05/2009
Good for us!
Wadsworth, OH
Posted 04:12 PM, 01/05/2009
I hope the people that use this facility take pride in it and don't trash it.
Akron, OH
Posted 04:13 PM, 01/05/2009
it will be no time at all before amtrak returns to akron, kudos to metro for building next to the tracks.
Green, OH
Posted 04:18 PM, 01/05/2009
The restrooms are fabulous? Fabulous?
The last place I saw a public restroom that I would call "fabulous" was in a new casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
Akron, Oh
Posted 04:59 PM, 01/05/2009
Only a matter of time before the criminals and homeless trash the place. I feel bad for the 2 officers stuck there.
Akron, OH
Posted 05:01 PM, 01/05/2009
The restrooms are "fabulous" compared to what people were doing in parking lots and along the sides of buildings at the old location.
akron, oh
Posted 05:09 PM, 01/05/2009
It will feel fabulous to relieve myself there...
Tallmadge, Oh
Posted 07:21 PM, 01/05/2009
Time to take a "Fabulous" dump!
Posted 07:32 PM, 01/05/2009
Thank you Mayor.
You make us proud. Forward thinking, and in a time when most wouldn't take on a project like this.
My Heart Is In K-Town, .
Posted 08:11 PM, 01/05/2009
This facility out of downtown is what is "fabulous"!!
When the naysayer’s wake up in the morning, the bashing of this state of the art facility will start.
akron , oh
Posted 08:34 PM, 01/05/2009
The Naysayers are up and working so that our tax dollars go to building this facility. I give it 2 months before it is trashed with graffiti and smells like a giant urinal. People don't take pride in what other people's money builds for them. Until we find a way that each person contributes something to society we will keep building the fabulous buildings and the uneducated and lazy will trash it.
Coal Pit Hollow, WV
Posted 09:24 PM, 01/05/2009
@Watching - I agree. The unsavory characters who currently infest the shelters near Cascade Plaza will infest, then trash the new Broadway facility. I give them three months tops to turn it into a sh*thole...
Posted 09:29 PM, 01/05/2009
i don't wear rose colored glasses but...I am glad to see this type of facility here in Akron. It will remain in good condition if the security is in force to prevent grafitti and the cleaning crew actually cleans the station. People tend to not care for things that they aren't directly accountable for. On top of that some people are just down right nasty...not clean at all. So I hope the maintenance team is paid well. I like the idea of having all the cameras. I have nieces and nephews that ride the bus and I want them to be safe.
Looks as if akron may be moving in the right direction. Kudos
My Heart Is In K-Town, .
Posted 09:59 PM, 01/05/2009
...look at the bright side if it gets trashed...it won't be in downtown.
akron, oh
Posted 10:06 PM, 01/05/2009
They going to keep the homeless and the panhandlers out of there?
Akron, OH
Posted 10:57 PM, 01/05/2009
All the problems the naysayers are posting have no excuse for occurring since it will include a police substation that will always be staffed by two officers.
Posted 11:15 PM, 01/05/2009
can u say WASTE OF MONEY?!
akron , oh
Posted 06:05 AM, 01/06/2009
If you really think two officers are enough to keep the peace and avoid turning this into giant urinal than you clearly don't work downtown and have had to walk through the busstop on each side of main street. My grandfather never drove and he took the bus for over 50 years every day. I am not looking down on anyone who uses this transportation, what I have a problem with is people who have no pride and don't care about anything.
Posted 07:06 AM, 01/06/2009
Well I'm looking forward to the opening.It's so amazing to watch some of the people coming and going.
Akron, OH
Posted 08:40 AM, 01/06/2009
Though I see a few of the city hall hero's kneepad wearin' cheerleaders, ballyhooin' the new facility, we have to face the fact that even the city expects a large amount of crime at the facility. Two police officers and 90 cameras?? Not exactly what one would find in a law abidin' community.
With that said, since we paid for it,and whether we wanted to or not, I have to hope that it stays intact for a while.
Now, does any-buddy want to guess on how long before the city comes back for money for the facility, because the city hall hero was inadequate in his estimation( as usual), on how expensive it is to operate and maintain?
Posted 09:00 AM, 01/06/2009
The real important thing is that the hub is just on the edge of downtown. This was a big coup to be able to get it off of main street. So many out-of-towners thought Akron was a sh&&hole because they'd drive through downtown and just see hundreds of people hanging out waiting for the bus.
I've heard from Clevelanders who are excited to give downtown Akron a try now.
Now if we could only sustain some retail businesses downtown there could really be a reason to head downtown again.
Posted 02:21 PM, 01/06/2009
itll be trashed in 5 months...
thank you come again
akron, oh
Posted 04:32 PM, 01/06/2009
I doubt there will ever be retail in downtown again.
I just looked into taking Amtrack to savannah in the spring and the cost is about the same as flying. BUT...while the flight takes a few hours the train takes 27 hours. And train stations are pretty scary these days.
munroe falls, OH
Posted 08:23 PM, 01/06/2009
2 COPS, YEH RIGHT? 1st DAY 500,000 CIG BUTTS, HOWEVER, THE POLICE WILL FINE A BAR OR RESTAURANT. METRO TOLD ME MS MOLLY BECKER QUOTE " THERE IS NO SMOKING IN THE BUILDING. THERE WILL BE A DESIGNATED SMOKING AREA OUTSIDE OF THE FACILITY"
NO SMOKING IN MALLS OR AT CLEVELAND STADIUM, AKRON BASEBALL PARK, HOWEVER, THERE IS ALWAYS 5-10 SUMMIT COUNTY EMPLOYEES FAGGING IT UP ON MAIN STREET ALL DAY LONG.
ALL HOSPITALS ARE NOW ENFORCING NON SMOKING ON ALL HOSP PROPERTIES, INCLUDING IN YOUR CAR.
ok akron let's keep the metro GREEN!!!
Posted 10:26 PM, 01/06/2009
Really I don't htink that it will get trashed. Those that utilize the facility will be the same people who have been riding the bus. It may get a little hetic when it gets warmer with the high school children. They have been known to fight when downtown...I guess school rivalries. i used to see this when I worked downtown in Cascade Plaza
Akron, OH
Posted 07:53 AM, 01/07/2009
@Watch in Summit County, I did work downtown for years. I never saw two officers in the bus transfer area. Even if there was it was a much larger area scattered on two sides of the road. You also had several predators or people just hanging around that were not taking buses, but since it was downtown there was little you can do to move them on. With a dedicated transfer station, there is no reason for a person to just be hanging out and you have only one purpose to be there.
