Speakers warn Akron downtown revitalization risks erasing local businesses and history

Residents and business advocates told Akron City Council on Monday that prolonged downtown construction and redevelopment are squeezing locally owned restaurants and stores and threatening the city’s historic character.

Jack, a downtown resident, said he has watched restaurants close and cited the LockView — directly across from Lock 3 — as being “on the brink of closing.” He said investments such as Main Street improvements have made the area more walkable, but that foot traffic falls off outside major events and that the city lacks a visible, coordinated plan to sustain downtown businesses.

Acacia Reynolds, a downtown resident and commentator, told the council that what is often called “revitalization” can look like erasure. She pointed to the recent demolition of the Firestone Plant 1 clock tower and said prolonged construction and blocked access are “suffocating” legacy businesses that give the city its character: “We can build and preserve. We can modernize and protect. We can invest in roads and the businesses that line them,” she said.

Both speakers asked the council and city staff to clarify how construction timelines, merchant support, and preservation goals will be coordinated. Council staff asked that Jack speak briefly with Suzie Graham Moore, identified in the meeting as the city’s economic development director, after the meeting to discuss next steps; no formal council directive or funding decision followed from the public comment period.

The session included no ordinance or vote directly tied to downtown revitalization. Public commenters asked for clearer city communication about downtown planning, targeted relief or outreach for affected small businesses, and preservation measures where historically significant structures are threatened. The council did not announce immediate follow-up actions in the meeting minutes; the remarks were recorded as part of the public comment period.