Save Firestone Plant One: Pause Demolition, Explore Better Solutions

Firestone Plant One is not just an old building - it is a defining piece of Akron’s history and a cornerstone of the Firestone Park neighborhood. Built in 1910, it helped shape the identity of the city.

Today, it faces demolition, not because all options have been exhausted, but because they have not been fully explored.

The City of Akron recently allowed only a 60-day window to identify a developer capable of preserving the front building and clock tower. Professionals across preservation, development, and planning have noted that this timeline was unrealistic for a project of this scale.

There has been no comprehensive, independent feasibility study that fully evaluates adaptive reuse, phased redevelopment, environmental remediation, or alternative funding strategies. The process so far has raised concerns that demolition may be moving forward without fully exploring viable alternatives. Demolition is being treated as inevitable; however, it is shaped by how projects like this are evaluated and prioritized.

When preservation is under-supported, timelines are compressed, lack of public investment, and demolition funding is pursued before full due diligence, the outcome is effectively predetermined. And once this building is gone, it cannot be replaced.

A Better Path Forward

Regionally, cities like Cleveland, Detroit, and Pittsburgh have shown that historic preservation and economic development can work together when supported by the right policies and public investment. Cleveland has leveraged historic tax credits and layered financing, Detroit has aligned brownfield incentives with redevelopment, and Pittsburgh has advanced phased reuse through strong institutional partnerships.

Firestone Plant One is a public asset and brownfield that should be fully remediated and thoughtfully reused. Its future should be evaluated with care, sustainability, creativity, and a long-term vision for Akron.

We Are Asking the City of Akron To:

 • Reopen and extend the redevelopment process with a timeline of at least one year to allow serious proposals, financing exploration, and due diligence. 

 • Commission an independent feasibility study that fully evaluates adaptive reuse, phased redevelopment, environmental remediation, and funding strategies.

 • Convene a public working group that includes neighborhood representatives, preservation experts, planners, and City officials to collaboratively evaluate options.

 • Establish a transparent public engagement policy for major demolition and redevelopment decisions in the future, ensuring community input shapes outcomes before decisions are finalized. 

 • Pursue layered funding sources that support adaptive reuse.

Demolishing Firestone Plant One would continue a pattern of demolition-first decision-making that has already reshaped Akron’s landscape from the Innerbelt to other lost civic assets.

Take Action

Sign this petition to support a more thoughtful, transparent, and community-centered approach to Firestone Plant One.

Akron’s future should build on its history - not erase it.