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Developer aims to attract students to Akron complex; Howe House would relocate
By Phil Trexler
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Thursday, Oct 18, 2007
A developer has set his sights on a prime downtown Akron block to bring a retail and apartment complex marketed to college students.
And as expected, the project means the historic Howe House that sits in its blue glory at the corner of High and Exchange streets will be moved from the spot it has occupied since 1836.
Developer Martin Mehall announced his plans on the blockwide project during a joint press conference Wednesday with Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic.
Plans call for Mehall's Richland Communities Ltd. company of Middleburg Heights to acquire land, both privately and publicly owned.
The block is bounded by Exchange Street at the north, Main at the west, Cedar to the south and High to the east.
While some issues, such as parking, needs to be addressed, those involved in the project say it is viable and likely to occur. Mehall hopes to open the 450-bed apartment complex in time for the fall semester in 2009.
Mehall already has an agreement to purchase a strip of buildings along South Main Street, from Cedar to Exchange, from a company owned by businessman Kevin Davis. Terms were not disclosed.
The 8-story office building at 12 E. Exchange St., also owned by one of Davis' companies, will be the block's sole survivor and incorporated into the project.
Mehall's company will acquire the other half of the block, alongside High Street where the Howe House sits, from the city of Akron.
No sale price has been finalized. Deputy Mayor David Lieberth said he expects the sale price will be consistent with the city's practice of selling properties to developers at the price it paid.
The city will pay for infrastruc ture needs and parking associated with the development.
Plusquellic said the city is looking into acquiring land for surface parking to accommodate the new housing.
While other projects for the block have come and gone, Mehall said this one is ''very, very viable.'' He is currently involved in a student housing project near Kent State University.
''We've expended a lot of money and I don't do that unless I'm pretty sure it's going to happen,'' he said.
Mehall is promising UA students a ''state of the art'' college living experience. Plans call for 150, four-story units in 19th century exteriors to house 450 students. Each unit is furnished with either two, three or four beds and its own kitchen and laundry facilities.
Plans call for high-speed Internet access, a central fitness center, a game room and study rooms. Rent is expected to be between $649 and $749 a month.
Mehall's costs are expected to approach $30 million.
The units will be located above retail stores with national and regional connections, Mehall said. No deals were announced on any prospective retailers.
One business that may move in could be Brubaker's pub, which will be moved once its home on South Main Street is razed. Plans call for the entire strip of buildings, including the former Jillian's nightclub, to be demolished along South Main after being purchased by Mehall's company.
Plusquellic hailed the project for its ability to bring people downtown to live.
''Downtown needs to be a place where there are a lot of different activities, things going on, and in order to sustain that we need residents,'' he said.
Plusquellic said the development means the Howe House, a Federal-style home built 170 years ago and the subject of a $1.5 million renovation fundraising drive, will be moved two blocks west to city land near the Ohio & Erie Canal shoreline at Water and Exchange Streets.
Dan Rice, president of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition, which orchestrated the fundraising efforts, approves the relocation plans for the betterment of the city and the coalition.
He said while some purists believe no historic building should ever be moved, ''in this particular case, I really believe it's the best case for the Richard Howe house'' to be located closer to the canal.
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
A developer has set his sights on a prime downtown Akron block to bring a retail and apartment complex marketed to college students.
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