Week in Review: Overlay District Approved, Smoker Returns and Hotel Clears Last Hurdle

Redevelopment plans stole much of the spotlight in Kent this week after the Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center cleared its last hurdle for construction, and a new, 596-bed apartment complex got the OK for construction to start.

Scroll down for the week in Kent via the big headlines on Kent Patch.

• We kicked off the week with courtesy "ViewFinder" columnist David Foster. Beckett, a 22-year Kent firefighter, is on leave while he battles cancer.
• The lacrosse team at Theodore Roosvelt High School last weekend in anticipation of their playoff start today against Mentor.
• We learned the following Monday night's approval of a setback variance for the project.
• State Rep. Kathleen Clyde gave in a video we ran Tuesday.
• We broke the news Tuesday that Kent State's dean of the College of Public Health, July 1 and will be replaced by Sonia Alemagno.
• Frat houses on East Main Street to make way for the new Kent Central Gateway transit center.
• News Break of the Week: Cajun Dave's almost lost their in an on-street parking space outside the restaurant Wednesday. We had it first Wednesday night with the full story Thursday morning.
• Perhaps the biggest story this week was Kent City Council's approval of an overlay district, which paves the way for a 596-bed student apartment complex on South Lincoln Street. Wednesday.
• We talked with about how 30 of his former students are celebrating his career this weekend.
• We again featured State Rep. Kathleen Clyde in a video Thursday in which passed in Columbus.
• And Friday we spotlighted the around Kent.

That's just a quick recap of the big stories. Don't forget about our Announcements page, Events calendar, Local Voices blogs, and our newly revamped "Places" business directory listing for more Kent news and information.