Transit Center, New Hotel to Change Downtown's Skyline
This story is the second in a series about Kent's changing landscape
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Redefining a College Town
The Kent Central Gateway transit center was key to continuing Kent's redevelopment by providing parking for the new Kent State hotel, Acorn Alley and the city and Fairmount Properties redevelopment block.
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Photos
Videos (4)
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The keystone of the Kent Central Gateway is PARTA's new transit center, which will add close to 400 public parking spaces, 10 bus transfer bays and a few thousand square feet of commercial and retail space to downtown Kent.
Construction is under way on the transit center on a large stretch of land along Erie Street between South DePeyster Street and Haymaker Parkway.
Right across Erie Street will be the Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center. The hotel will rise to four floors with 95 rooms and a combined 300 seat banquet facility. It will carry the Kent State logo thanks to an investment from the Kent State Foundation. It's being built primarily by Columbus-based Pizzuti Companies, whose head, Ron Pizzuti, grew up in Kent and is a Kent State alumni.
Both projects are rising on sites that were historically significant for Kent. The hotel will stand on the former site of the Fenn Dairy and Record-Courier offices, and the bulk of the transit center occupies the former Commercial Press building.
Editor's Note: Throughout this week, we take a look at some of the drastic landscape changes taking place in Kent this year and throughout the next several years.
We'll examine Kent's redevelopment as the projects progress. Click on the links below to see previous stories in this series.
David Badagnani
1:15 am on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Thank you for covering this!
These images are the first I've seen of what this project is supposed to look like, and, to be honest, it's hard to get a sense of them in comparison to what is (or, more accurately, isn't) there now. I wonder if there are any images that show a larger view that could illustrate what the area used to look like (with Kent Hardware store, etc.), compared to what it will look like.
Will the 400 parking spots mentioned be in regular asphalt lots or as a multi-level parking garage?
Pat
8:10 pm on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
It truly is sad to see the orginal sky line disappearing so KSU will be happy. It shows that money from KSU really does talk. All of our elected city leaders are letting this happen. Now the Huntington Clock is gone and according to the RC poll 82% of the area population wanted it to stay and uses it on a daily basis. John Ryan is giving our heritage away.
MOST HATED PERSON ON PATCH
9:46 pm on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
the Huntington clock never worked right, i don't like that it's gone, but saying people used it everyday when it was notoriously wrong is stretching it. also this city should grow and change and to "blame" KSU for it is just silly. sure they have a hand in it, but we need some change in this town, it's a good thing.
dharma freebird
12:14 pm on Thursday, August 25, 2011
Pat, your comment shows why there is such animosity between the University/Townies. By acting as if Kent needs to be stuck in the past and not grow is also immature. There does not need to be a division between the town and school. They bring in such a large group of people and diversity to our population.
As someone who has been here, since 1982, it is great to see the beautiful new buildings that are going up. All the new businesses coming in and the opportunity to have new places to eat and shop without having to leave town. Nice to spend our money locally on shops that are putting tax dollars into this community. I'd rather not have to drive to Akron/Cleveland to eat at someplace different. Not to m ention the jobs that they will bring with them as well.
As for the time & temp clock..... yes, it was here forever, but who can't get that on their smart phone or laptop. Plus there is also the old 673-9811. I think it is wonderful to see the growth and change in town. In a few more years Kent will be a very cool looking, updated town.
MOST HATED PERSON ON PATCH
1:22 pm on Thursday, August 25, 2011
why yes dharma an actual nice restaurant to eat at with out leaving kent. what a great idea! it's about time this town perked up a bit.
David Badagnani
2:44 pm on Thursday, August 25, 2011
The loss of the time/temperature clock was not a "wonderful" change in any way.