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Kent council visits Akron's Spicer Village Talk with developer about plans for downtown block

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Matthew Fredmonsky
June 26, 2008

By Matt Fredmonsky

Record-Courier staff writer

What began as a tour by Kent city officials of an Akron housing development Wednesday evening gradually segued into talks about the Akron developer's plans for its one-acre lot in downtown Kent.

Twelve Kent governmental leaders and one Kent State University representative sat down at a long table in Hattie's Cafe, a part of the Spicer Village development near the University of Akron operated by Hattie Larlham, and talked with the CEO and president of ASW Properties, which is building high-end condominiums in the Akron project and owns the now vacant Campus View Apartments at 303 E. Main St. in Kent behind the Jimmy John's sandwich shop.

Kent City Manager Dave Ruller said the goal of Wednesday's informal meeting was to learn how ASW Properties, the city of Akron and Akron U collaborated to bring about urban development projects like Spicer Village.

"As much as anything, we're here to see how one partnership produced many," Ruller said.

And the Kent City Council members who attended, including Garret Ferrara, Robin Turner, Wayne Wilson, John Kuhar, Heidi Shaffer and Mayor John Fender, questioned ASW Properties CEO Phil Maynard about how he worked with Akron city and university officials to overcome hurdles in constructing the 25 condominiums in phase one of Spicer Village.

Kent leaders also questioned ASW President Tim Ziga about how his company maneuvered Akron's political landscape to gain timely support for their project.

Ziga emphasized the importance of point people in city government who could organize meetings with city department heads involved in aspects of the construction phase.

"They would get whoever we needed into a room to work on the problems," Ziga said. "That was an absolute necessity. Politically, I can't burn bridges because I need everybody's help at some point."

Aside from owning the vacant apartment complex, ASW Properties also is developing a new Greek village on KSU's campus near the intersection of Ted Boyd Drive and Campus Center Drive. The development firm is preparing to break ground on a new $750,000 Sigma Nu fraternity house at the location and has room to relocate additional fraternities and sororities onto the six-acre parcel.

Maynard said he wants to build something on the former Campus View Apartments location, possibly upscale rental units, but his firm wants to develop a project to suit the city's needs and integrate with other development.

"We really sense an opportunity in Kent," Maynard said. "For everybody there, not just us."




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 3 Total Comments
3.
    Posted by YankieBlue June 26, 2008
Blah Blah Blah...more news about upcoming downtown development.

What happened to the development in the area of the old Barbershop area?

2.
    Posted by streakinduck June 26, 2008
Please tell me who is going to buy a $150,000 condo when we already have a ton of houses for sale? Other than that, it looks like a great idea! Let the Gerrymandering begin!

1.
    Posted by Gary June 26, 2008
It is about time that someone did something with the drug infested motel on Main St. Nice townhouses would look nice up on the hill. Bear in mind there is a sewage problem there though--which the owners should fix before proceeding on any building. Of course the city of Kent is joining at the hip with KSU--

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