Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have been reading stories in the Beacon Journal of late that seem counterproductive.
First, I hear that Akron is considering closing down the innerbelt.
Then, I read how representatives from Akron visited Greenville, SC to see how Greenville addressed revitalizing its downtown area.
Well, having lived in Greenville, and having grown up and moved back to the Akron area, I can tell you one thing Greenville DIDN'T do.....close down the quickest route into downtown!!! I-385 in Greenville does EXACTLY what the innerbelt (59) does in Akron. It ends right into downtown. (In Greenville's case, it ends right at the arena.)
It seems ridiculous to talk about how to revitalize downtown and at the same time talk about cutting off the main route for outsiders to come visit that revitalized downtown. Greenville certainly wasn't that stupid.
Did these planners ever consider that the reason the innerbelt is seldom used is that outside of those who live or work downtown, right now, there are very few reasons to GO downtown? (Apologies to the Ducks.....but that's just fact.)
I am all for a revamping of Akron's downtown. There is still far too much blight. But as it stands right now, it's as if the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing.
It seems to me that this is putting the cart before the horse. Once you have a vibrant downtown, you can see if removal of the inner belt would be warranted. Otherwise, why waste the $$$? I have learned a few things about revitalized downtowns after living in Savannah for a few years.
Granted, Savannah has inherent things that make it more desirable than Akron, but any city can have an active social scene, without a river, ocean or historical interest. First, there must be various housing options downtown. Even in Savannah, they are always looking for opportunities to up the population density.
Then, there must be bars, restaurants, stores, and attractions to make the area walkable. People love dog friendly businesses, and business love tax abatement. We have the ability to walk around the designated areas with plastic cups of adult beverages. People love that. Akron has the really super art museum, and a few good restaurants, last I knew, so they just need to build on that.
We have SCAD, you have U of A. Here, The Savannah College of Art and Design, has revitalized several inner city, blighted areas. I know U of A has done this to some extent, too. The vibrancy and vitality of the students should be encouraged, always.
Akron needs "a thing", like Nashville has music, Branson has a thing, Santa Fe has art, NYC has the theater, Seattle has high tech....you get it.
Then, a city must be safe. I remember being in Chicago once, and there were couples pushing strollers around at 10 pm. this is a feature of Savannah, too; a festive atmosphere at almost any time, day or night.
Last edited by gentlearts; 10-08-2015 at 09:55 AM..
It seems to me that this is putting the cart before the horse. Once you have a vibrant downtown, you can see if removal of the inner belt would be warranted. Otherwise, why waste the $$$? I have learned a few things about revitalized downtowns after living in Savannah for a few years.
Granted, Savannah has inherent things that make it more desirable than Akron, but any city can have an active social scene, without a river, ocean or historical interest. First, there must be various housing options downtown. Even in Savannah, they are always looking for opportunities to up the population density.
Then, there must be bars, restaurants, stores, and attractions to make the area walkable. People love dog friendly businesses, and business love tax abatement. We have the ability to walk around the designated areas with plastic cups of adult beverages. People love that. Akron has the really super art museum, and a few good restaurants, last I knew, so they just need to build on that.
We have SCAD, you have U of A. Here, The Savannah College of Art and Design, has revitalized several inner city, blighted areas. I know U of A has done this to some extent, too. The vibrancy and vitality of the students should be encouraged, always.
Akron needs "a thing", like Nashville has music, Branson has a thing, Santa Fe has art, NYC has the theater, Seattle has high tech....you get it.
Then, a city must be safe. I remember being in Chicago once, and there were couples pushing strollers around at 10 pm. this is a feature of Savannah, too; a festive atmosphere at almost any time, day or night.
I agree with a lot of what you say....except that Akron needs a "thing". Greenville revitalized from pretty much the same point at which Akron is now....and they don't have a "thing". Smart moves is what makes or breaks a reconnaissance. Akron has made a couple of terrible moves in the wrong direction, in my opinion. First was not embracing and promoting the Inventors' Hall of Fame (which they have resultantly lost) and the second was allowing such a unique facility as Quaker Square and the attached hotel to flounder and eventually be swallowed up as just another building for U of A students.
A couple of differences between the Innerbelt and the Greenville example. One, Greenville is a good bit smaller and less dense than Akron is. Two, the Innerbelt was never completed. It was supposed to loop through to Route 8 and not stop where it does. Then it was at least supposed to be accessible both ways whereas it is really only functional from one direction. Half the traffic that should be "on" the Innerbelt is forced to use the access roads instead. Try exiting onto the Innerbelt from 77N/76W and you'll see what I mean. From a pure functional standpoint it cut off downtown from all of the West Side neighborhoods and destroyed them. Removing the Innerbelt would allow for that link to be reestablished and stop Downtown from being an island.
All the Innerbelt is/was was urban renewal couched as a transportation project.
Also, different from Greenville (if I remember correctly) is that 385 is the only freeway into/near Downtown. Here, 77/76 allow access directly onto Main and Broadway at the south end of downtown; then Route 8 allows access to Perkins, Market, Buchtel, and Exchange, allowing a straight shot into University and East Side of Downtown. You'll note these fully functioning freeways and exits are packed much of the morning and afternoon.
What you're lamenting is an uncompleted project that will never be completed and therefore will never be used to its maximum potential, especially with viable alternate routes. That's what the story is all about. The side story of course is that freeways running directly through central business districts are disruptive and aren't en vogue anymore (many cities are removing them or studying removals - SF, Dallas, Portland, Milwaukee, Seattle... on and on. It's 60s style urban renewal (much like Cascade Plaza also) that has fallen way out of favor.
To GentleArts question about why bother spending the money if the space isn't needed, the flyover, overpasses, and roadway all need significant structural improvements in the near future so it seemed more logical to close the freeway than to make multi-million dollar investments in a freeway that will never be completed and is minimally used.
A couple of differences between the Innerbelt and the Greenville example. One, Greenville is a good bit smaller and less dense than Akron is. Two, the Innerbelt was never completed. It was supposed to loop through to Route 8 and not stop where it does. Then it was at least supposed to be accessible both ways whereas it is really only functional from one direction. Half the traffic that should be "on" the Innerbelt is forced to use the access roads instead. Try exiting onto the Innerbelt from 77N/76W and you'll see what I mean. From a pure functional standpoint it cut off downtown from all of the West Side neighborhoods and destroyed them. Removing the Innerbelt would allow for that link to be reestablished and stop Downtown from being an island.
All the Innerbelt is/was was urban renewal couched as a transportation project.
Also, different from Greenville (if I remember correctly) is that 385 is the only freeway into/near Downtown. Here, 77/76 allow access directly onto Main and Broadway at the south end of downtown; then Route 8 allows access to Perkins, Market, Buchtel, and Exchange, allowing a straight shot into University and East Side of Downtown. You'll note these fully functioning freeways and exits are packed much of the morning and afternoon.
What you're lamenting is an uncompleted project that will never be completed and therefore will never be used to its maximum potential, especially with viable alternate routes. That's what the story is all about. The side story of course is that freeways running directly through central business districts are disruptive and aren't en vogue anymore (many cities are removing them or studying removals - SF, Dallas, Portland, Milwaukee, Seattle... on and on. It's 60s style urban renewal (much like Cascade Plaza also) that has fallen way out of favor.
To GentleArts question about why bother spending the money if the space isn't needed, the flyover, overpasses, and roadway all need significant structural improvements in the near future so it seemed more logical to close the freeway than to make multi-million dollar investments in a freeway that will never be completed and is minimally used.
Sorry, but the innerbelt dumping into downtown is the only way to get right into the heart of downtown via highway. It would serve EXACTLY the same purpose 385 does in Greenville, so much so that when I lived in Greenville, I thought about the similarities on many an occasion. All the other freeway paths you mention as alternatives leave you quite a way from actual downtown when coming from the west, and dump you into University of Akron territory coming from other directions. Sure, you can get off of numerous exits and eventually make it to downtown, but they are very inconvenient. The reason the innerbelt doesn't get used has nothing to do with its convenience, but that, frankly, outside of the Rubberducks and a couple of restaurants, there is nothing to go downtown FOR at this point in time! I've lived in both Greenville and Akron, and there is little doubt that removing the innerbelt while at the same time creating reasons to go downtown is reminiscent of the O. Henry story, "The Gift of the Maji".
Sorry, but the innerbelt dumping into downtown is the only way to get right into the heart of downtown via highway. It would serve EXACTLY the same purpose 385 does in Greenville, so much so that when I lived in Greenville, I thought about the similarities on many an occasion. All the other freeway paths you mention as alternatives leave you quite a way from actual downtown when coming from the west, and dump you into University of Akron territory coming from other directions. Sure, you can get off of numerous exits and eventually make it to downtown, but they are very inconvenient. The reason the innerbelt doesn't get used has nothing to do with its convenience, but that, frankly, outside of the Rubberducks and a couple of restaurants, there is nothing to go downtown FOR at this point in time! I've lived in both Greenville and Akron, and there is little doubt that removing the innerbelt while at the same time creating reasons to go downtown is reminiscent of the O. Henry story, "The Gift of the Maji".
That is true, the alternatives do not run to the center of Downtown, but in the push to create a walkable downtown having a freeway run through the middle of it seems contrarian.
There also are about 30,000 people who work in and around Downtown, so I don't think I would attribute lack of potential users as the reason for lack of usage.
I could see hanging onto it if it was fully functional or actually complete, but dumping enormous amounts of money to renovate a freeway that will never be completed and is only useful if you happen to be approaching it from the right direction doesn't seem too far out of line. And as nationally we push back towards walkable, livable Downtowns, I think we will see the removal of disruptive features like the Innerbelt and the other central city freeways I mentioned previously continue to occur.
That is true, the alternatives do not run to the center of Downtown, but in the push to create a walkable downtown having a freeway run through the middle of it seems contrarian.
There also are about 30,000 people who work in and around Downtown, so I don't think I would attribute lack of potential users as the reason for lack of usage.
I could see hanging onto it if it was fully functional or actually complete, but dumping enormous amounts of money to renovate a freeway that will never be completed and is only useful if you happen to be approaching it from the right direction doesn't seem too far out of line. And as nationally we push back towards walkable, livable Downtowns, I think we will see the removal of disruptive features like the Innerbelt and the other central city freeways I mentioned previously continue to occur.
The innerbelt does not run through downtown. It comes in from the west of town, to the west of the hospitals and the stadium. I don't see it as being disruptive at all. The area directly west and south of town (from Cadillac hill south, and west to Highland Square) has been depressed even before the construction of the innerbelt.
As for making Akron "walkable", it is actually a quite walkable city.....if only the abandoned buildings contained something to walk TO.
Akron's problems have nothing to do with the innerbelt. They have far more to do with urban decay and failure over the years to make the investment to bring businesses downtown. The results from the loss of the Inventors' Hall, the intrusion by the U of A (taking over the Polsky's building and Quaker Square), and the deterioration of buildings to the north of the baseball stadium are what need to be addressed. The construction of the Marriott near Luigi's is a good step in the right direction.....but there are an awful lot of abandoned buildings between Furnace Street and the stadium.
As for whether there are 30,000 people coming into and out of downtown daily, I won't argue that point, because I don't know of anywhere to confirm or refute those numbers. However, I hardly think the stadium, restaurants and the art museum are drawing but a tiny sliver of that number, even if it is a good number. And Akron needs people to come downtown, NOT just to work, but AFTER work and on weekends. There are Saturdays and Sundays that I've been downtown and could have fired a rifle from one end of Main Street toward the other end without hitting anyone.....or without hitting anyone who wasn't pushing a shopping cart full of junk. In spite of being smaller, that could never be said for Greenville.
Last edited by jimdc58; 10-23-2015 at 10:15 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
