Dear friends,

Thank you for your continued support in advocating to save Firestone Plant One. The fate of one of Akron’s most important industrial landmarks hangs in the balance. We’re now at a critical point: the City of Akron’s moratorium period ends on November 21st, and the city just rejected the only proposal submitted. After November 21st, the city can move forward with demolition since no viable developer has been approved.

For more than a decade, Akron leaders have spoken of preserving Firestone Plant One, but several quiet decisions have made that outcome increasingly difficult.

Here is where things stand: 

• No third party review of the Scope of Work and subsequent BIDs with inflated and inaccurate numbers. This is important because design and cost choices in the awarded BID such as replacing rather than repairing the roof, have driven up expenses unnecessarily, making reuse appear financially impossible. For example, the original recommended roof repair which would have cost $600,000 but that proposal changed for reasons unknown to a full replacement which now totals at 3.59 million which is now more than 6 times the initial proposed cost.
• Akron rejects proposal to turn Firestone Plant #1 into police headquarters. The developer Amerimar Realty Co. was the only developer to respond to the City’s Request for Proposals with a plan to restore the building as the new Akron Police Headquarters. However the City of Akron rejected the proposal yesterday. You can read more about the proposal here: here. 
• Abatement and Demolition is underway. One of our biggest concerns is that there’s been no meaningful community involvement in shaping the outcome of preservation, despite ten years of public promises to preserve the site.

However, there’s still time to make our voices heard.

We’re organizing a Firestone Letter Night next week on November 19th, right before the moratorium ends to ask City Council members and local officials for transparency and accountability in the decision making process. It will be a night of community, creativity, and collective action. We’ll meet at The Progress Through Preservation's House (across from Fairlawn elementary school)  to write letters and emails to City Council members and local officials asking for transparency and accountability in the decision-making process.

We’ll provide background info, sample letters, and questions you can ask, such as:

• Why was the original recommended roof repair which would have been 600,000 to changing it to a full replacement which now totals at 3.59 million which is now more than 6 times the cost?
• Why weren’t the cost estimates in the BID reviewed by an independent expert in historic preservation?
• Why were there no public engagement steps before deciding to demolish a historic landmark?
• How will this project align with Akron’s stated goals to repair and reconnect areas most affected by urban renewal, like this segment of Firestone Park?
  
  

Bring a friend or just your curiosity. Pens and paper will be provided, but feel free to bring your favorite art supplies or stationery. 

Please RSVP for Firestone Letter Night Wednesday, November 19th, 6pm-8pm at The Preservation House( 2074 W Market St, Akron, OH 44313) either the using the event invite here or email us at friendsoffirestonefactory@gmail.com with your RSVP or any questions.

If you can’t make it, please consider writing a letter or email to your City Council Member or Mayor Shammas Malik at mayor@akronohio.gov to share your concerns about Firestone Plant One and the importance of community involvement in this process.

With Gratitude, 

Laura