![]() Knight Foundation Akron program director Kyle Kutuchief said the foundation isn't in the business of buying real estate and doesn't have a mechanism to fund developments directly. He also asked the Knight Foundation to consider buying the building, thinking it might be a good fit, given that the Knight family once owned the Beacon Journal and made a good part of its fortune there. "I received a very short letter from the mayor saying they decided they were going in a different direction. "I very much wish it was on the table, but no, there's been no outreach from the city on that," Mouron said. Mouron also had hoped that the city would move the Akron Police Department into the building, but he said he has not made progress on that front, either. You've got too much space that is too far away from an exterior wall," Mouron said.īuilding codes don't even allow the construction of interior apartments with no windows - not that such units would likely be attractive to renters to begin with, he said. "The building is far too deep to do effective residential. Mouron briefly considered converting the building to apartments, but said he quickly realized that would not work because of the way the purpose-built structure was designed, with thick floors and a deep interior. On top of that, the market for office properties in Akron and other cities has remained soft as many workers who once drove to downtown offices continue to work from home. I think part of it was the problems downtown - the riots," he said. "We had a beautiful design for that, but we couldn't entice them to move downtown. Efforts to entice the potential tenant back failed the tenant said recent protests downtown over the June police killing of Jayland Walker played a role in the decision, Mouron said. Mouron said that prospective tenant - reportedly FedEx Custom Critical, though he declined to name it - balked at the move during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he had identified a large company that was looking to move to downtown Akron when he bought the building. Mouron originally hoped to move an office tenant into the building. "The Akron Beacon Journal (building) has just proven impossible for us to redevelop," said Mouron, founder of Capstone Development in Birmingham, Alabama, who bought the building in 2020 for $1.2 million. If he's not successful, and no tenant or other profitable use for the building is found, he'll return to the city seeking permission to demolish it, Mouron said. In general, the news is reported factually and with moderate left-leaning bias.The former Akron Beacon Journal building, a landmark structure in downtown Akron as well as a site important to the city's history, might be getting its last chance to survive.Īfter being rebuffed by the city when he asked for permission to tear down the building last month, owner Michael Mouron said he has agreed to make a last-ditch, 90-day effort to sell the building. Additionally, op-eds tend to moderately favor the left Editorial: What will it take to reduce violence in Akron?. National and international news comes from other Gannett publications and the Associated Press.Įditorially, the Akron Beacon Journal traditionally endorses Democratic candidates. Local news is reported with minimal loaded emotional language, such as this City of Akron launches Racial Equity and Social Justice Task Force. In review, the Akron Beacon Journal covers news, sports, lifestyle, and entertainment for the greater Akron, Ohio area. The newspaper is funded through advertising and paid subscriptions. After the merger, the companies retained the Gannett name. In August 2019, Gatehouse Media purchased and merged with Gannett, becoming the largest newspaper chain in the USA. The Akron Beacon Journal is owned by Gannett (Gatehouse Media), which publishes USA Today. Read our profile on the United States government and media. The paper places a strong emphasis on local news and business. ![]() It is the sole daily newspaper in Akron and is distributed throughout Northeast Ohio. Founded in 1839, the Akron Beacon Journal is a morning newspaper in Ohio, United States. ![]()
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