On December 20, 2018, Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro and City of Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan led a groundbreaking ceremony at the new Firestone Business Park in Akron. The County of Summit, the City of Akron, the Greater Akron Chamber, FirstEnergy, APV Coatings and Pleasant Valley Corporation have entered into a partnership to redevelop 20.5 acres of land owned by the City and APV into an industrial site for business expansion and relocation. Summit County Council and Akron City Council each passed resolutions approving cooperative agreements on December 3, 2018 and November 26, 2018, respectively.
The redevelopment of the business park will cost approximately $4.2 million for the construction of the roadway, sewers, electrical infrastructure, and other public improvements. The project has benefitted from Summit County Transportation Improvement District funds as the County recently received $250,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation for roadway infrastructure in the Firestone Business Park area. The City of Akron also received $1 million in State Capital Improvement Program and Local Transportation Improvement Program funds for the project. The balance of the costs will be shared by the parties, with a significant portion being paid over time through property assessments.
With investments from all the partners, the area looks to become the home to the County’s sanitary sewer maintenance facility, site of a new Pleasant Valley Corporation warehouse and manufacturing building and future facilities that will create new jobs in the Firestone Park area of Akron. Additionally, the new business park will complement APV Coating’s improvements and expansion of its facilities next door.
“This public/private partnership is a model of collaboration and ingenuity. APV Coatings, Pleasant Valley Corporation, the Greater Akron Chamber, FirstEnergy, the City of Akron, and my staff worked diligently to make this project a reality,” said Executive Shapiro. “The County has already made significant investments in Firestone Park with the Russell M. Pry Building and Bridgestone Americas Technical Center, and we plan for Firestone Business Park to be the next step in continuing to grow commerce and create jobs in this area.”
Summit County Council recently passed a resolution approving plans for the County of Summit Department of Sanitary Sewer Services to develop a 50,000 square foot operations facility on a 5+ acre parcel. This facility will consolidate several locations of employees and equipment to streamline service to residents. Additionally, Pleasant Valley Corporation plans to build an 85,000 to 100,000 square foot commercial /industrial facility, a move that will bring additional jobs to the Firestone Park neighborhood.
“Firestone Park has a rich history of being a center for economic development in the City of Akron. This project speaks to the creativity of the partners and the resiliency of the area. Firestone Park has been, and remains, open for business,” said Mayor Horrigan.
FirstEnergy is nearing the completion of the placement of new utility poles to reroute electric between Cole and
Emerling Avenues, providing electric service to parcels previously lacking service. The City of Akron will construct the Cole Avenue Extension Roadway and the water, sewer, curb and gutter infrastructure to accompany the street, work that is set to begin in the near future. The location is ideal for light industrial or manufacturing businesses looking to build new facilities in Akron. Those interested in development opportunities can call the City of Akron Integrated Development office at 330-375-2133.
